The enthalpy of combustion of crystalline 4-nitrophenyl azide has been
determined by static oxygen bomb calorimetry at 298.15 K as - (3241.4
+/- 4.2) kJ mol(-1). The corresponding enthalpies of formation using
an estimated enthalpy of sublimation are Delta(f)H(m)(0) = (308.7 +/-
4.3)(c) and (389.7 +/- 5.2)(g) kJ mol(-1). The predictive capacity of
the Laidler and Pedley bond energy schemes as applied to organic azide
s is explored. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.