Binary Zinc Azides.

Pure, solvent-free Zn(N3 )2 was prepared by reaction of diethyl zinc and hydrazoic acid in aprotic solvents. The single-crystal structure determination, along with the comprehensive characterization of α-Zn(N3 )2 and two metastable polymorphs, could be achieved for the first time. Since these data disagree in large parts with the known, previously reported values, all previous syntheses of Zn(N3 )2 , and for comparison Zn(N3 )2 ⋅2.5 H2 O and Zn(OH)N3 were reinvestigated, indicating that some of the earlier work has to be revised.