Dinitride

Dinitride is a term used in inorganic and materials chemistry to refer to compounds that incorporate two nitride units, typically described as two nitride ligands or two nitride ions associated with a central framework. The name derives from the combination of the prefix di- (two) and nitride, the negatively charged nitrogen species common in nitrides.

In coordination chemistry, a dinitride complex denotes a species in which two nitride ligands are bound to a metal center or to a network of metals. Such species can show multiple bonding interactions between the metal and nitrogen atoms and may be terminal or bridging within the coordination sphere. Dinitride motifs are often highly reactive and can participate in transformations such as protonation, oxidation, or redistribution of nitride units.

In solid-state chemistry and materials science, the term is sometimes used more informally to describe nitrides with two nitride ions per formula unit or per metal site, contributing to extended nitride lattices. Examples include certain transition-metal nitrides and related frameworks, which can exhibit notable hardness, high thermal stability, and chemical inertness. The precise structure and properties of a dinitride depend on the metal, stoichiometry, and bonding environment, with some materials displaying metallic or semiconducting behavior.

Properties of dinitride compounds are largely governed by their bonding and crystal structure. They tend to be hard and refractory, often resistant to chemical attack by many acids and bases, yet some may hydrolyze or react under specific conditions to release ammonia or nitrogen-containing species.

Applications of nitrides in general include hard coatings, electronics, and catalysis. Dinitride motifs may contribute to these functions on a case-by-case basis, depending on the metal centers and lattice connectivity involved. Safety considerations follow those typical of nitrides, including potential causticity or toxic gas evolution upon contact with water or acids for reactive materials.