8.1 Reaction chemistry of nitrogen

Despite nitrogen being the inert component of the Earth’s atmosphere, dinitrogen undergoes a range of reactions, although it only reacts with a few reagents under standard temperature and pressure. Nitrogen reacts with oxygen in an electric arc, [link] , both in the laboratory and within lightening strikes.

The synthesis of ammonia is accomplished by the Harber process, using an iron oxide (Fe ₃ O ₄ ) catalyst, [link] , at about 500 °C and 200 atmospheres pressure.

Nitrogen reacts with lithium metal at room temperature to form the nitride, [link] . Magnesium also burns in nitrogen, forming magnesium nitride, [link] .

Nitrogen forms complexes with transition metals yielding nitrogeno complexes, [link] . Under some conditions these complexes react to give ammonia, [link] , and as such may give a hint to the action of nitrogenase in which molybdenum in the active site.