The Reactions of Active Nitrogen With Boron Trichloride and Germane

Chlorine and tetrachlordiborine were the main products from the reaction of active nitrogen with boron trichloride. The maximum flow rate of chlorine recovered, about 4% of the available N-atom flow rate, was essentially independent of temperature in the range 100° to 395 °C. It is suggested that the reaction is initiated by (N 2 A 3 Σ u + ), and that this is followed by N-atom attack on the resulting BCl 2 radical. A similar mechanism is suggested for a slight extent of reaction observed with germanium tetrachloride.Hydrogen and germanous nitride (Ge 3 N 2 ) were the products of the reaction of active nitrogen with germane. The amount of germane decomposed increased with an increase of temperature from 100 ° to 200 °C; at the higher temperature it corresponded to not more than two-thirds of the N-atom flow rate used. It is suggested that the reaction involves the direct and complete displacement of hydrogen by atomic nitrogen.