The Photochemistry of Diazomethane the Reaction of Methylene with Ammonia and Methylamine

In the photolysis of diazomethane in the presence of ammonia, the ratio of the products, [CH₃NH₂/[C₂H₄], has been studied as a function of pressure, temperature and composition of diazomethane-ammonia mixture, respectively. This ratio increases with increase in total pressure at low pressures and approaches a constant at high pressures. In the diazomethane-methylamine system, the ratio of products, [CH₃CH₂NH₂]/[(CH₃)₂NH], is independent of the pressure in the range from 23 to 500 torr. The rates of insertion of singlet methylene into C–H bond and N–H bond of CH₃NH₂ are found to be about the same.