Editing Ammonia (section)

=== Precursor to inorganic nitrogenous compounds ===
[[Nitric acid]] is generated via the [[Ostwald process]] by [[oxidation]] of ammonia with air over a [[platinum]] catalyst at {{convert|700|–|850|°C}}, ≈9&nbsp;atm. [[Nitric oxide]] and [[nitrogen dioxide]] are intermediate in this conversion:<ref>{{cite book|author1=Holleman, A. F. |author2=Wiberg, E. |title=Inorganic Chemistry|publisher=Academic Press|location= San Diego|year=2001|isbn=978-0-12-352651-9}}</ref>
{{block indent|{{chem2|NH3 + 2 O2 → HNO3 + H2O}}}}
Nitric acid is used for the production of [[fertiliser]]s, [[explosive]]s, and many organonitrogen compounds.

The hydrogen in ammonia is susceptible to replacement by a myriad substituents. 
Ammonia gas reacts with metallic [[sodium]] to give [[sodamide]], {{chem2|NaNH2}}.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=862}}

With chlorine, [[monochloramine]] is formed.

Pentavalent ammonia is known as λ<sup>5</sup>-amine, [[nitrogen pentahydride]] decomposes spontaneously into trivalent ammonia (λ<sup>3</sup>-amine) and hydrogen gas at normal conditions. This substance was once investigated as a possible solid [[rocket fuel]] in 1966.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0373800 |title=High pressure chemistry of hydrogenous fuels|author1=Sterrett, K. F.|author2=Caron, A. P.|publisher=Northrop Space Labs|year=1966|access-date=24 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823130932/http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0373800 |archive-date=23 August 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ammonia is also used to make the following compounds:
* [[Hydrazine]], in the [[Olin Raschig process]] and the [[peroxide process]]
* [[Hydrogen cyanide]], in the [[BMA process]] and the [[Andrussow process]]
* [[Hydroxylamine]] and [[ammonium carbonate]], in the [[Raschig hydroxylamine process|Raschig process]]
* [[Urea]], in the [[Bosch–Meiser urea process]] and in [[Wöhler synthesis]]
* [[ammonium perchlorate]], [[ammonium nitrate]], and [[ammonium bicarbonate]]

[[File:Cisplatin-stereo.svg|class=skin-invert-image|thumb|[[Cisplatin]] ({{chem2|[Pt(NH3)2Cl2}}) is a widely used [[anticancer drug]].|upright=0.6]]
Ammonia is a [[ligand]] forming [[metal ammine complex]]es. For historical reasons, ammonia is named '''ammine''' in the nomenclature of [[coordination compound]]s. One notable ammine complex is [[cisplatin]] ({{chem2|Pt(NH3)2Cl2}}, a widely used anticancer drug. Ammine complexes of [[chromium]](III) formed the basis of [[Alfred Werner]]'s revolutionary theory on the structure of coordination compounds. Werner noted only two [[isomer]]s (''fac''- and ''mer''-) of the complex {{chem2|[CrCl3(NH3)3]}} could be formed, and concluded the ligands must be arranged around the metal ion at the [[wikt:vertex|vertices]] of an [[octahedron]].

Ammonia forms 1:1 [[adduct]]s with a variety of [[Lewis acid]]s such as [[Iodine|{{chem2|I2}}]], [[phenol]], and [[Trimethyl aluminium|{{chem2|Al(CH3)3}}]]. Ammonia is a [[hard base]] (HSAB theory) and its [[ECW model|E & C parameters]] are E<sub>B</sub> = 2.31 and C<sub>B</sub> = 2.04. Its relative donor strength toward a series of acids, versus other Lewis bases, can be illustrated by [[ECW model|C-B plots]].