Structure of the azide ion An azide is a chemical that contains the azide ion N3 (in ionic compounds) or the azide group (in covalent compounds). Inorganic acids
Azides can be considered as salts of the acidic hydrogen azide. Their solubility in water resembles that of the halides. There are azides known of a number of metals. The compounds decompose upon heating. Some are even explosive and detonate, such as Pb (N3) 2, Hg (N3) 2, and TlN3. The decomposition of alkali metal azides such as sodium azide occurs less vigorously and leads to the release of the elements, except in the case of lithium, because it easily forms a nitride with nitrogen. General structure of organic azides Organic Acids
Organic azides are also possible. They have an R-N3 structure. They easily split nitrogen gas (N2) and this is exploited in reactions such as the Curtius rearrangement and the Staudinger reaction. At the Huisgen-1,3-dipolar cycloaddition an azide is reacted with an alkyn to form a 1,2,3-triazole.
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