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, [CH 3 NH 2 /[C 2 H 4 ], 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, [CH 3 CH 2 NH 2 ]/[(CH 3 ) 2 NH], 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 CH 3 NH 2 are found to be about the same.