Figure 5: Mechanistic insights.

Conversion of Nitron 2 to s-trans-3-anilino triazabutadiene 8 in aqueous acetonitrile under alkaline conditions, and the structures of s-cis-3-anilino triazabutadiene 8′, s-cis-3-phenyl triazabutadiene 9 and triphenyltriazolium tetrafluoroborate 10.