The niobium oxoazides [NbO(N3)3], [NbO(N3)3·2CH3CN], [(bipy)NbO(N3)3], Cs2[NbO(N3)5] and [PPh4]2[NbO(N3)5].

Niobium oxotriazide, [NbO(N3)3], was prepared in a fluoride-azide exchange reaction between [NbOF3] and an excess of Me3SiN3 in SO2 solution. In acetonitrile solution, the fluoride-azide exchange resulted in the isolation of the adduct [NbO(N3)3·2CH3CN]. The subsequent reaction of [NbO(N3)3] with 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) resulted in the isolation of the bipyridine adduct [(bipy)NbO(N3)3]. The pentaazido anion [NbO(N3)5](2-) was obtained by the reaction of [NbO(N3)3] with two equivalents of ionic azide. The novel niobium oxoazides were fully characterized by their vibrational spectra, impact, friction and thermal sensitivity data and, in the case of [(bipy)NbO(N3)3], Cs2[NbO(N3)5], and [PPh4]2[NbO2(N3)5] by their X-ray crystal structures.