Large Intermediates in Hydrazine Decomposition: A Theoretical Study of the N₃H₅ and N₄H₆ Potential Energy Surfaces

Large complex formation involved in the thermal decomposition of hydrazine (N2H4) is studied using transition state theory-based theoretical kinetics. A comprehensive analysis of the N3H5 and N4H6 potential energy surfaces was performed at the CCSD­(T)-F12a/aug-cc-pVTZ//ωB97x-D3/6-311++G­(3df,3pd) level of theory, and pressure-dependent rate coefficients were determined. There are no low-barrier unimolecular decomposition pathways for triazane (n-N3H5), and its formation becomes more significant as the pressure increases; it is the primary product of N2H3 + NH2 below 550, 800, 1150, and 1600 K at 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 bar, respectively. The N4H6 surface has two important entry channels, N2H4 + H2NN and N2H3 + N2H3, each with different primary products. Interestingly, N2H4 + H2NN primarily forms N2H3 + N2H3, while disproportionation of N2H3 + N2H3 predominantly leads to the other N2H2 isomer, HNNH. Stabilized tetrazane (n-N4H6) formation from N2H3 + N2H3 becomes significant only at relatively high pressures and low temperatures because of fall-off back into N2H3 + N2H3. Pressure-dependent rate coefficients for all considered reactions as well as thermodynamic properties of triazane and tetrazane, which should be considered for kinetic modeling of chemical processes involving nitrogen- and hydrogen-containing species, are reported