Preparation, Crystal Structure, and Properties of Barium Pernitride, BaN 2

Stoichiometric barium pernitride, BaN(2), was prepared from the elements under N(2) pressure of 5600 bar in an autoclave at 920 K. The compound is isotypic to ThC(2) (space group C2/c, Z = 4) according to powder X-ray (neutron) diffraction data with a = 7.1712(1), b = 4.3946(1), c = 7.2362(1) A, and beta = 104.864(1) degrees (a = 7.1745(1), b = 4.3963(1), c = 7.2393(1) A, beta = 104.876(1) degrees ). The N-N distance of 1.221(4) A (based on the neutron diffraction data) is indicative of a double bond in the N(2)(2-) dumbbells. BaN(2) is metallic according to magnetic susceptibility measurements and TB-LMTO band structure calculations.