The structural, elastic, and electronic properties of molybdenum nitride are investigated by first principles calculation with density functional theory. The obtained hexagonal WC structure is energetically the most stable structure at an ambient pressure. A pressure induced structural phase transition from hexagonal WC to cubic NaCl structure is predicted. The estimated superconducting transition temperature (T-c) of molybdenum nitride is 14.0037 K. As pressure increases the superconducting transition temperature also increases. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.