An Electron Spin Resonance Study of Radicals Formed by γ-Irradiation of 1-Substituted 5-Nitro-amino and 5-Nitroso-aminotetrazoles

γ-Irradiation of 1-methyl-5-methylnitro-aminotetrazole 1 and 1-methyl-5-nitro-aminotetrazole 2 resulted in cleavage of the exocyclic N—N bond giving only one detectable radical (NO2•) in each case. The stability and motion of the NO2• radicals formed in these systems was studied. The NO2• radical obtained from compound 1 was immobile in the lattice while that obtained from compound 2 was rotating about the y-axis. Irradiation of 1-methyl-5-methyl-nitroso-aminotetrazole 3 and 1-phenyl-5-nitroso-aminotetrazole 4 did not give a simple N—N bond cleavage and radicals which could not be fully identified were encountered. The radical obtained from compound 3 appeared to be a nitroxide radical and that obtained from compound 4 appeared to arise from electron capture by the nitrosamino moiety.