Mono- and Diazides of Bismuth

Bis[2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl]azidobismuthane, [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2BiN3, and [2-((dimethylamino)methyl)phenyl]diazidobismuthane, [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]Bi(N3)2, were synthesized and fully characterized. [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2BiN3 and [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]Bi(N3)2 represent rare examples of bismuth azides. The structures of both azide compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. While for the monoazide [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]2BiN3 a monomeric species was found, the diazide [2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4]Bi(N3)2 dimerizes in the solid state, exhibiting two bridging azido groups. Furthermore, weak van der Waals interactions between these centrosymmetric dimers lead to a chainlike structure in the crystal.