High-pressure syntheses of novel binary nitrogen compounds of main group elements

The application of high-pressure methods in the search for novel materials usually requires additional effort compared to syntheses at ambient pressure. Depending on the desired p/T conditions different methods may be used. Special techniques and experimental apparatus such as shock waves, diamond anvil cells, and multianvil presses, which have been applied mainly by earth scientists and physicists in the past, are increasingly being applied by synthetic chemists and material scientists. A series of fascinating discoveries have been made recently as is demonstrated by three examples of binary nitrogen compounds: 1) Diazenides, compounds with N(2)(2-) ions, were obtained as single-phase products and structurally characterized for the first time. 2) At 11 GPa and 1800 K a phosphorus(V) nitride was prepared, which contains tetragonal PN(5) pyramids as a novel structural motif. 3) Macroscopic amounts of spinel silicon nitride were synthesized by shock-wave techniques, which allows the comprehensive characterization and possibly the implementation of this new hard material.