Pulse radiolytic formation of solvated electrons in hydrazine

The spectrum and yield of solvated electrons in anhydrous hydrazine have been investigated by pulse radiolysis. At room temperature the optical absorption band has a maximum at 1.22 eV (1015 nm) with a molar extinction coefficient of 2.2 +- 0.1 x 104 M-1 cm-1 and a temperature coefficient of 1.5 x 10-3 eV deg-1 from 7-45 deg C. The oscillator strength is estimated to be 0.6. The optical transition energy is in reasonable agreement with an empirical correlation of solvent properties proposed by Freeman provided that only the polarisability of the nitrogen lone-pair electrons contribute to E(max). Comparisons are made with liquid amides which also have lone-pair polarisable groups and with water and liquid ammonia which have physical properties very similar to those of hydrazine. Electron yields increase from 2.35 +- 0.15 in pure hydrazine to 2.65 in basic solutions containing not less than 0.1M sodium hydrazide. (author)