Chapter 9, Problem 100AE

The azide ion, N₃^-, is linear with two N—N bonds of equal length, 1.16 $\AA$ . (a) Draw a Lewis structure for the azide ion. (b) With reference to Table 8.5, is the observed N — N bond length consistent with your Lewis structure? (c) What hybridization scheme would you expect at each of the nitrog en atoms in N₃^-? (d) Show which hybridized and unhybridi zed orbitals are involved in the formation of $\sigma$ and $\pi$ bonds in N₃. (e) It is often observed that u bonds that involve an sp hybrid orbital are shorter than those that involve only sp2 or sp³hybrid orbitals. Can you propose a reason for this? Is this observation applicable to the observed bond lengths in N₃^-?