Electron Number of the Nitrogen Atom inMn4N

In order to obtain some information about the effective electron number of nitrogen in ${\mathrm{Mn}}_4$N, the x-ray atomic scattering factors of nitrogen and manganese were measured by Fe $K\alpha$ radiation. The experimental values of the scattering factor of nitrogen determined within a resultant probable error of 5% were close to the theoretical curve for ${\mathrm{N}}^0$ or ${\mathrm{N}}^{1-}$. This result contradicts the donor theory in which a nitrogen atom is supposed to donate electrons to the neighboring manganese atoms.