Sodium arsenide

Sodium arsenide is the inorganic compound with the formula Na₃As. It is a dark colored solid that degrades upon contact with water or air. It is prepared by the reaction of the elements at 200-400 °C. The compound is mainly of interest as exhibiting a archetypal structure. The normal pressure "sodium arsenide" phase is adopted by many alkali metal pnictides. At 3.6 gigapascals, Na₃As adopts the Li₃Bi structure, which is another archetypal structure.