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.