It is an oily, colourless liquid at room temperature.

[2] It is a highly explosive chemical that is soluble in most organic solvents, and normally handled in dilute solution in this form.

[2][5] There had been earlier claims of discovering it as a crystalline solid, which were incorrect.

[7][8] Its use in chemistry has been as a reagent prepared in situ for use in the synthesis of chemicals such as diaminotetrazoles, either in dilute solution or as a gas at reduced pressure.

[9][10][11][6][12][13][14] It can be synthesised at below room temperature from the reaction of sodium azide with either cyanogen chloride[2] or cyanogen bromide,[5] dissolved in a solvent such as acetonitrile; this reaction must be done with care due to the production of shock-sensitive byproducts from trace moisture.