Structure
Solid N2O5 is a salt, consisting of separated anions and cations. The cation is the linear nitronium ion NO2+ and the anion is the planar nitrate NO3− ion. Thus, the solid could be called nitronium nitrate. Both nitrogen centers have oxidation state +5.
The intact molecule O2N–O–NO2 exists in the gas phase (obtained by subliming N2O5) and when the solid is extracted into nonpolar solvents such as CCl4. In the gas phase, the O–N–O angle is 133° and the N–O–N angle is 114°. When gaseous N2O5 is cooled rapidly ("quenched"), one can obtain the metastable molecular form, which exothermically converts to the ionic form above −70 °C.
Read more about this topic: Dinitrogen Pentoxide
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