Jie Zhang, Tingting Ye, Guo Chen, Deyuan Yao, Xin Zhang, Chuanguo Zhang, Jing Zhao, Pei Wang, Junfeng Ding, Zhi Zeng, Xianlong Wang
Realizing compounds entirely composed of aromatic hexazine N 6 rings with high stability is a long-term challenge. Existing high-pressure synthesized compounds contain a maximum of 5.36% N atoms, forming aromatic [N 6 ] 4– rings. We predict that all N atoms contribute to aromatic [N 6 ] 4– rings in K 4 N 6, which become stable at 60 GPa and can stably exist up to 600 K at 0 GPa. Furthermore, K and KN 3 are suggested as precursors for the synthesis of K 4 N 6 . Following this approach, based on the diamond anvil cell, K 4 N 6 with 100% nitrogen atoms forming aromatic hexazine [N 6 ] 4– rings is synthesized at 45 GPa after laser heating and identified by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Our results bring us closer to achieving aromatic N 6 rings at ambient condition.