Matrix Photolysis Products of Diazomethane: Methyleneimine and Hydrogen Cyanide

Abstract

Photolysis of diazomethane dimers in solid nitrogen produces methyleneimine, H2CNH, and HCN, as shown by infrared spectral study. The HCN frequencies show that it forms a strong hydrogen bond to the imine. Deuterium and 15N isotopic substitutions aid in the vibrational assignment of H2CNH. Normal coordinate analysis indicates that this prototype C=N stretching force constant is (9.3±0.5) × 105 dyn/cm despite difficulties in obtaining a satisfactory fit to all of the observed frequencies.