[BaptizedInHCL]

Hey guys this is my first post  ,

My question is about the stability of Azide compounds (such as NaN3). Why are these compounds so unstable and why do they decompose violently at high temperatures?

ex. 2 NaN3 —> 2 Na + 3 N2
sodium azide decomposes violently into  sodium and nitrogen gas at high temperatures.

I have only found brief and unsatisfactory answers to this question on the internet. If any of you know the answer or could supply a link or article for further reading it would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,
BaptizedInHCL

[Dan]

Hint:

deltaG = deltaH - TdeltaS

[BaptizedInHCL]

Thankyou Dan for your hint, but i think I made a mistake in my first post. Sodium Azide if subjected to heat (its decomposition temperature is 300 degrees celsius) or electrical discharge will explode and decompose into the much more stable Nitrogen gas. The heat or electrical discharge gives the needed activation energy for the reaction.

Here is where I found that answer:
http://neon.otago.ac.nz/chemistry/magazine/magazine.php?csNum=31

looking at it with the formula however
deltaG = deltaH - T * deltaS
In this case deltaH = - since this reaction is going from a unstable higher energy (NaN3) to a more stable lower energy (N2)
deltaS = + since it is going from a more ordered state to a less ordered state
Therefore no high temperature is needed to make this reaction spontaneous

But the activation energy acts as way to get the reaction going.

Sorry for the confusion, I think this answers my question.