Photoinduced nitrosyl linkage isomers in complexes based on the photochromic cation [RuNO(NH3)5] with the paramagnetic anion [Cr(CN)6] and the diamagnetic anions [Co(CN)6] and [ZrF6]

Two metastable nitrosyl linkage isomers SI and SII are generated by light irradiation in the spectral range 370–500 nm in the two diamagnetic compounds [RuNO(NH₃)₅][Co(CN)₆] and [RuNO(NH₃)₅]₂[ZrF₆]₃ as well as in the paramagnetic compound [RuNO(NH₃)₅][Cr(CN)₆]. The frequencies of the ν(NO) stretching vibrations of SI and SII identify SI as the isonitrosyl Ru–O–N isomer and SII as the side-on η² isomer of NO. The population, i.e., the number of generated linkage isomers, is determined from the decrease of the area of the fundamental ν(NO) and of the higher harmonic 2 · ν(NO) of the ν(NO) stretching vibration of the ground state. Using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) the heat release during the thermal decay of the metastable linkage isomers is determined. The activation energies, frequency factors, and the energetic position of the metastable linkage isomers are determined from the DSC and infrared spectroscopic experiments. It is found that the exchange of the counter ion significantly influences the energetic positions of the linkage isomers, while the activation energy and frequency factor are much less affected.     

Generation of one light-induced metastable nitrosyl linkage isomer in [Pt(NH3)4Cl(NO)]Cl2 in the red spectral range

One metastable linkage nitrosyl isomer can be generated in [Pt(NH(3))(4)Cl(NO)]Cl(2) by irradiation with light in the red spectral range. The potential energy barrier for the thermal relaxation of the metastable state to the ground state has an amount of E(A) = (0.27 +/- 0.03) eV. The decay follows the Arrhenius law and E(A) is independent of temperature. At room temperature the metastable state has a lifetime of tau = 3.8 x 10(-5) s after generation by pulsed laser illumination. Below T = 100 K about 30% linkage NO isomers can be generated in a powder sample by irradiation with lambda = 658 nm. DFT calculations demonstrate the rotation of the NO ligand from Pt-N-O to Pt-O-N as a unique linkage isomer. Consequently, only one new nu(NO) stretching vibration is detected with a shift from 1673 cm(-1) to 1793 cm(-1) by 120 cm(-1), to higher frequencies in good agreement with the DFT calculations. In the metastable state new electronic absorption bands are observed in the blue-green and near infrared spectral range. The metastable state can be optically accessed via a (5d + pi(NO)) -->pi*(NO) transition. [Pt(NH(3))(4)Cl(NO)]Cl(2) is diamagnetic with a Pt(5d(8)) configuration and thus represents the first {MNO}(8) complex with experimental evidence for a light-induced nitrosyl linkage isomer.     

Photogeneration of metastable side-on N2 linkage isomers in [Ru(NH3)5N2]Cl2, [Ru(NH3)5N2]Br2 and [Os(NH3)5N2]Cl2

Photogeneration of side-on N2 linkage isomers in [Ru(NH3)5N2]2+ and [Os(NH3)5N2]2+ is achieved by irradiation with lambda = 325 nm of powder samples at T = 80 K and detected by the downshift of the nu(N-N) vibration and by the heat release at elevated temperature due to the back switching of the side-on configuration to the ground state. The concentration of the transferred molecules is evaluated by the decrease of the area of the nu(N-N) or 2nu(N-N) vibrational bands. All characteristic changes between the linear Ru-N-N and side-on configuration are predicted by DFT calculations: the structure of the anion, shifts of the vibrations, electronic excitation energy, energetic position and sequence of the electronic orbitals, the potentials of the ground and relaxed metastable state with the activation energy, saddle points and energetic position of the minimum.     

Structural influence on the photochromic response of a series of ruthenium mononitrosyl complexes

In mononitrosyl complexes of transition metals two long-lived metastable states corresponding to linkage isomers of the nitrosyl ligand can be induced by irradiation with appropriate wavelengths. Upon irradiation, the N-bound nitrosyl ligand (ground state, GS) turns into two different conformations: isonitrosyl O bound for the metastable state 1 (MS1) and a side-on nitrosyl conformation for the metastable state 2 (MS2). Structural and spectroscopic investigations on [RuCl(NO)py(4)](PF(6))(2)·1/2H(2)O (py = pyridine) reveal a nearly 100% conversion from GS to MS1. In order to identify the factors which lead to this outstanding photochromic response we study in this work the influence of counteranions, trans ligands to the NO and equatorial ligands on the conversion efficiency: [RuX(NO)py(4)]Y(2)·nH(2)O (X = Cl and Y = PF(6)(-) (1), BF(4)(-) (2), Br(-)(3), Cl(-) (4); X = Br and Y = PF(6)(-) (5), BF(4)(-) (6), Br(-)(7)) and [RuCl(NO)bpy(2)](PF(6))(2) (8), [RuCl(2)(NO)tpy](PF(6)) (9), and [Ru(H(2)O)(NO)bpy(2)](PF(6))(3) (10) (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine; tpy = 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine). Structural and infrared spectroscopic investigations show that the shorter the distance between the counterion and the NO ligand the higher the population of the photoinduced metastable linkage isomers. DFT calculations have been performed to confirm the influence of the counterions. Additionally, we found that the lower the donating character of the ligand trans to NO the higher the photoconversion yield.     

Light-induced metastable states in oxalatenitrosylruthenium(II) and terpyridinenitrosylruthenium(II) complexes

Two extremely long lived metastable states (SI and SII) can be accessed by irradiation with light in the blue-green spectral range at temperatures below 200 K in Cs(2)[Ru(ox)(NO)Cl(3)], [Ni(cyclam)][Ru(ox)(NO)Cl(3)].3H(2)O, and [Ru(terpy)(NO)(OH)Cl][PF(6)]. The crystal structures of the ground states of the oxalate-containing compounds are presented, and the influence of the atomic distances of the cations/anions is discussed with respect to the decay temperatures. The radiationless thermal decay of the metastable states is detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for the three compounds. Both metastable states decay exponentially in time under isothermal conditions. The excited states are energetically separated from the ground state by potential barriers given by the activation energy of the Arrhenius law. In [Ni(cyclam)][Ru(ox)(NO)Cl(3)].3H(2)O the enthalpy maximum of the thermal decay of SII appears at 182 K, which is a relatively high decay temperature for SII. The reason for this strong temperature shift compared to those of the other compounds could be due to the polarization effect of Ni(2+) on the electron density at the Ru site via the Cl atom.     

Evidence for two light-induced metastable states in Cl3[Ru(NH3)5NO]H2O

Differential Scanning Calorimetry measurements on irradiated Cl₃[Ru(NH₃)₅NO]H₂O reveal the existence of two light-induced long-lived metastable states SI, SII. Irradiation with light in the spectral range 400–500 nm leads to the excitation of SI. For the first time we report experimental evidence for the state SII in this compound, which can be excited by transferring SI into SII with irradiation of light in the spectral range 1000–1200 nm. The excitation and transfer of the metastable states is described and the exponential decays are evaluated according to Arrhenius' law yielding activation energies of E_A(SI)=0.73(3) eV, E_A(SII)=0.66(3) eV and frequency factors of Z(SI)=1 × 10¹² s⁻¹, Z(SII) = 5 × 10¹² s⁻¹.     

Comment on "Theoretical study of the photoinduced transfer among the ground state and two metastable states in [Fe(CN)5NO]2-" [J. Chem. Phys. 122, 074314 (2005)

We discuss the computational results of the "Theoretical study of the photoinduced transfer among the ground state and two metastable states in [Fe(CN)5NO]2-" [J. Chem. Phys. 122, 074314 (2005)] with respect to our previously reported polarized absorption study on the metastable states SI and SII in Na2[Fe(CN)5NO]2H2O [D. Schaniel, J. Schefer, B. Delley, M. Imlau, and Th. Woike, Phys. Rev. B 66, 085103 (2002)].     

Single- and double-linkage isomerism in a six-coordinate iron porphyrin containing nitrosyl and nitro ligands

Density Functional theoretical calculations confirm the experimental observation that the low-temperature photolysis of (TPP)Fe(NO)(NO2) (as a KBr pellet) results in the generation of linkage isomers involving the axial NO and NO2 groups and suggest the possible formation of the double linkage isomer (TPP)Fe(ON)(ONO). The energy difference between the ground state (porphine)Fe(NO)(NO2) and the double-linkage isomer (porphine)Fe(ON)(ONO) is 1.57 eV, which is comparable to the 1.59 eV calculated previously for the nitrosyl-to-isonitrosyl linkage isomerism in the five-coordinate (porphine)Fe(NO) analogue.     

Resonance raman investigation of equatorial ligand donor effects on the Cu(2)O(2)(2+) core in end-on and side-on mu-peroxo-dicopper(II) and bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) complexes

The effect of endogenous donor strength on Cu(2)O(2) bonds was studied by electronically perturbing [[(R-TMPA)Cu(II)]](2)(O(2))](2+) and [[(R-MePY2)Cu](2)(O(2))](2+) (R = H, MeO, Me(2)N), which form the end-on mu-1,2 bound peroxide and an equilibrium mixture of side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) and bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomers, respectively. For [[(R-TMPA)Cu(II)](2)(O(2))](2+), nu(O-O) shifts from 827 to 822 to 812 cm(-1) and nu(Cu)(-)(O(sym)) shifts from 561 to 557 to 551 cm(-1), respectively, as R- varies from H to MeO to Me(2)N. Thus, increasing the N-donor strength to the copper decreases peroxide pi(sigma) donation to the copper, weakening the Cu-O and O-O bonds. A decrease in nu(Cu-O) of the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) complex was also observed with increasing N-donor strength for the R-MePY2 ligand system. However, no change was observed for nu(O-O) of the side-on peroxo. This is attributed to a reduced charge donation from the peroxide pi(sigma) orbital with increased N-donor strength, which increases the negative charge on the peroxide and adversely affects the back-bonding from the Cu to the peroxide sigma orbital. However, an increase in the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomer relative to side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) species is observed for R-MePY2 with R = H < MeO < Me(2)N. This effect is attributed to the thermodynamic stabilization of the bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) isomer relative to the side-on peroxo-dicopper(II) isomer by strong donor ligands. Thus, the side-on peroxo-dicopper(II)/bis-mu-oxo-dicopper(III) equilibrium can be controlled by electronic as well as steric effects.     

Bismercaptoethanediazacyclooctane as a N2S2 chelating agent and Cys-X-Cys mimic for Fe(NO) and Fe(NO)2

The N-protonated bismercaptoethanediazacyclooctane serves as a bidentate dithiolate ligand to oxidized Fe(NO)(2) of Enemark-Feltam notation, E-F [Fe(NO)(2)],(9) mimicking Cys-X-Cys binding of Fe(NO)(2) to proteins or thio-biomolecules. The neutral compound is characterized by the well-known g = 2.03 EPR signal which is a hallmark of dinitrosyl iron complexes, DNIC's. The Fe(NO)(2) unit can be removed from the chelate by excess PhS(-), producing (PhS)(2)Fe(NO)(2)(-). Transfer of NO from Fe(H(+)bme-daco)(NO)(2) (nu(NO) = 1740, 1696 cm(-)(1)) to Fe(II) of [(bme-daco)Fe](2) yields the five-coordinate, square-pyramidal N(2)S(2)Fe(NO) (nu(NO) = 1649 cm(-)(1)), where NO is in the apical position. Its isotropic EPR signal at g = 2.05 is consistent with E-F [Fe(NO)](7) formulation. In excess NO, Roussin's red ester-type molecules are formed as dinuclear or tetranuclear species, [(micro-SRS)[Fe(2)(NO)(4)]](n)() (n =1, 2). These well-characterized molecules furnish reference points for positions and patterns in nu(NO) vibrational spectroscopy expected to be useful for in vivo studies of NO degradation of iron-sulfur clusters in ferredoxins.     

On the photochemical behavior of the [Ru(NH3)4(NO)nicotinamide]3+ cation and the relative stability of light-induced metastable isonitrosyl isomers of Ru complexes

Low-temperature IR experiments on crystalline samples of trans-[Ru(NH3)4(NO) nicotinamide]3+ salts show a light-induced absorption band typical for MS1 NO linkage isomers upon exposure to 300-500 nm light from a Xe source. The formation of a metastable species is confirmed by DSC measurement on a sample irradiated at low temperature with 457 nm light from an Ar+ laser. The light-induced species decays between 250 and 260 K according to both IR and DSC results. This decay temperature (Td) is somewhat below that observed for other high-Td linkage isomers, even though the NO-stretching frequency of the of [Ru(NH3)4(NO) nicotinamide]3+ ion is above that of the other isomers, demonstrating a lack of precise correlation between the two physical properties. The 90 K crystal structure of trans-[Ru(NH3)4(NO)nicotinamide](SiF6)(NO3).H2O is reported. The geometry from theoretical DFT calculations of the ground-state structure agrees well with the experimental results, except for the orientation of the CONH2 substituent in the pyridine ring, which is rotated by 180 degrees in the crystal due to packing effects. The MS1 and MS2 linkage isomers are found to correspond to local minima on the ground-state potential energy surface, and their geometries and energies are reported.     

Photoinitiated predissociation of the NO dimer in the region of the second and third NO stretch overtones

Photofragment yield spectra and NO(X(2)Pi(1/2,3/2); v = 1, 2, 3) product vibrational, rotational, and spin-orbit state distributions were measured following NO dimer excitation in the 4000-7400 cm(-1) region in a molecular beam. Photofragment yield spectra were obtained by monitoring NO(X(2)Pi; v = 1, 2, 3) dissociation products via resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization. New bands that include the symmetric nu(1) and asymmetric nu(5) NO stretch modes were observed and assigned as 3nu(5), 2nu(1) + nu(5), nu(1) + 3nu(5), and 3nu(1) + nu(5). Dissociation occurs primarily via Deltav = -1 processes with vibrational energy confined preferentially to one of the two NO fragments. The vibrationally excited fragments are born with less rotational energy than predicted statistically, and fragments formed via Deltav = -2 processes have a higher rotational temperature than those produced via Deltav = -1 processes. The rotational excitation likely derives from the transformation of low-lying bending and torsional vibrational levels in the dimer into product rotational states. The NO spin-orbit state distribution reveals a slight preference for the ground (2)Pi(1/2) state, and in analogy with previous results, it is suggested that the predominant channel is X(2)Pi(1/2) + X(2)Pi(3/2). It is suggested that the long-range potential in the N-N coordinate is the locus of nonadiabatic transitions to electronic states correlating with excited product spin-orbit states. No evidence of direct excitation to electronic states whose vertical energies lie in the investigated energy region is obtained.     

Quantum-Chemical Calculations of Ruthenium Nitrosyl Complexes with Tetradentate Macrocyclic Ligands

The geometric structure of the ground state and of metastable isomers of nitrosyl complexes trans-[Ru(P)(NO)(Cl)] (P = porphinate dianion) and trans-[Ru(NO)(salen)(X)]^q [salen = N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylideniminate) dianion; X = Cl^- (q = 0), H₂O (q = +1)] was optimized within the framework of the density functional method (SVWN/LanL2DZ+6-31G). The local minima corresponding to metastable isomers with a linear NO coordination through the oxygen atom and with a side ² NO coordination were found on the potential energy surfaces of these compounds. The second metastable states of all the three complexes have a lower energy. The difference in energies between the stable and metastable isomers is the least in the case of the complex trans-[Ru(NO)(salen)(Cl)].     

Probing the photoinduced metal-nitrosyl linkage isomerism of sodium nitroprusside in solution using transient infrared spectroscopy

We study photoinduced metal-nitrosyl linkage isomerism in sodium nitroprusside (Na(2)[Fe(II)(CN)(5)NO]·2H(2)O, SNP) dissolved in methanol using picosecond transient infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The high sensitivity of this technique allows the simultaneous observation of two known metastable (MS) iron-nitrosyl linkage isomers of SNP, [Fe(II)(CN)(5)(η(1)-ON)](2-) (MS1) and [Fe(II)(CN)(5)(η(2)-NO)](2-) (MS2), at room temperature. The transient population of free nitrosyl radicals (NO·) is also measured in the sample solution. These three transient species are detected using their distinct nitrosyl stretching frequencies at 1794 cm(-1) (MS1), 1652 cm(-1) (MS2), and 1851 cm(-1) (NO·). The metastable isomers and NO· are formed on a subpicosecond time scale and have lifetimes greater than 100 ns. A UV (400 nm)-pump power dependence study reveals that MS1 can be formed with one photon, while MS2 requires two photons to be populated at room temperature in solution. Other photodissociation products including cyanide ion, Prussian blue, and [Fe(III)(CN)(5)(CH(3)OH)](2-) are observed. We develop a photochemical kinetic scheme to model our data, and the analysis reveals that photoisomerization and photodissociation of the metal-NO moiety are competing photochemical pathways in SNP dissolved in methanol at room temperature. Based on the analysis, the solvent-associated Fe(III) species and Prussian blue form on a 130 and 320 ps time scale, respectively. The simultaneous detection and characterization of photoinduced linkage isomerism (MS1 and MS2) and photodissociation of the metal-NO bond in SNP highlights the importance of understanding the role played by metastable metal-nitrosyl linkage isomers in the photochemistry of metal-nitrosyl compounds in chemistry and biology.     

X-ray Diffraction Analysis of Geometry Changes upon Excitation: The Ground-State and Metastable-State Structures of K(2)[Ru(NO(2))(4)(OH)(NO)

The structure of the laser-light-induced metastable state MS(1) of the [Ru(NO(2))(4)(OH)(NO)](2)(-) anion in K(2)[Ru(NO(2))(4)(OH)(NO)] was determined by X-ray analysis at 50 K of a crystal with a 16% excited-state population. Results of an independent determination of the ground-state structure were used in the analysis. The most pronounced geometrical change upon excitation was an increase of the Ru-(NO) distance by 0.097(11) ?, significantly larger than the change of the corresponding distance in sodium nitroprusside (Pressprich, M. R.; White, M. A.; Vekhter, Y.; Coppens, P. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1994, 116, 5233-5238). A decrease in the angleRu-(N-O) angle from 174.0(2) to 169(1) degrees was observed. The diffraction results provide evidence that the photoinduced state MS(1) of the transition metal nitrosyl complexes is a linkage isomer in which the NO group is attached to the metal atom through the oxygen, instead of through the nitrogen atom, rather than an electronic excited state as reported previously.     

Metastable anions of dinitrobenzene: resonances for electron attachment and kinetic energy release

Attachment of free, low-energy electrons to dinitrobenzene (DNB) in the gas phase leads to DNB(-) as well as several fragment anions. DNB(-), (DNB-H)(-), (DNB-NO)(-), (DNB-2NO)(-), and (DNB-NO(2))(-) are found to undergo metastable (unimolecular) dissociation. A rich pattern of resonances in the yield of these metastable reactions versus electron energy is observed; some resonances are highly isomer-specific. Most metastable reactions are accompanied by large average kinetic energy releases (KER) that range from 0.5 to 1.32 eV, typical of complex rearrangement reactions, but (1,3-DNB-H)(-) features a resonance with a KER of only 0.06 eV for loss of NO. (1,3-DNB-NO)(-) offers a rare example of a sequential metastable reaction, namely, loss of NO followed by loss of CO to yield C(5)H(4)O(-) with a large KER of 1.32 eV. The G4(MP2) method is applied to compute adiabatic electron affinities and reaction energies for several of the observed metastable channels.     

Neutral {Fe(NO)2}9 dinitrosyliron complex (DNIC) [(SC6H4-o-NHCOPh)(Im)Fe(NO)2] (Im = imidazole): interconversion among the anionic/neutral {Fe(NO)2}9 DNICs and Roussin's red ester

A neutral {Fe(NO)2}9 dinitrosyliron complex (DNIC) [(SC6H4-o-NHCOPh)(Im)Fe(NO)2] (Im = imidazole; 2) was prepared by the reaction of [Fe(mu-SC6H4-o-NHCOPh)(NO)2]2 (1) and 2 equiv of imidazole. In the synthesis of the anionic {Fe(NO)2}9 DNIC [(SC6H4-o-NHCOPh)2Fe(NO)2]- (3), thiolate [SC6H4-o-NHCOPh]- triggers ligand substitution of DNIC 2 to yield DNIC 3. At 298 K, complexes 2 and 3 exhibit well-resolved nine- and five-line electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals at g = 2.031 and 2.029, respectively, the characteristic g value of DNICs. The facile interconversions among the neutral {Fe(NO)2}9 complex 2, the anionic {Fe(NO)2}9 complex 3, and Roussin's red ester 1 were demonstrated. The EPR spectrum (the pattern of hyperfine splitting) in combination with the IR nu(NO) (the relative position of the nu(NO) stretching frequencies) spectrum may serve as an efficient tool for the discrimination of the anionic {Fe(NO)2}9 DNICs, the neutral {Fe(NO)2}9 DNICs, and Roussin's red ester.     

The photodissociation of NO(2) by visible and ultraviolet light

We present velocity map images of the NO, O((3)P(J)) and O((1)S(0)) photofragments from NO(2) excited in the range 7.6 to 9.0 eV. The molecule was initially pumped with a visible photon between 2.82-2.95 eV (440-420 nm), below the first dissociation threshold. A second ultraviolet laser with photon energies between 4.77 and 6.05 eV (260-205 nm) was used to pump high-lying excited states of neutral NO(2) and/or probe neutral photoproducts. Analysis of the kinetic energy release spectra revealed that the NO photofragments were predominantly formed in their ground electronic state with little kinetic energy. The O((3)P(J)) and O((1)S(0)) kinetic energy distributions were also dominated by kinetically 'cold' fragments. We discuss the possible excitation schemes and conclude that the unstable photoexcited states probed in the experiment were Rydberg states coupled to dissociative valence states. We compare our results with recent time-resolved studies using similar excitation and probe photon energies.     

Comparison of side-on and end-on coordination of E2 ligands in complexes [W(CO)5E2] (E=N,P, As,Sb, Bi,Si-, Ge-, Sn-, Pb-)

Complexes of W(CO)(5) with neutral diatomic pnictogen ligands N(2), P(2), As(2), Sb(2), and Bi(2) and anionic Group 14 ligands Si(2) (2-), Ge(2) (2-), Sn(2) (2-), and Pb(2) (2-) coordinated in both side-on and end-on fashion have been optimized by using density functional theory at the BP86 level with valence sets of TZP quality. The calculated bond energies have been used to compare the preferential binding modes of each respective ligand. The results were interpreted by analyzing the nature of the interaction between the ligands and the metal fragment using an energy partitioning method. This yields quantitative information regarding the strength of covalent and electrostatic interactions between the metal and ligand, as well as the contributions by orbitals of different symmetry to the covalent bonding. Results show that all the ligands studied bind preferentially in a side-on coordination mode, with the exception of N(2), which prefers to coordinate in an end-on mode. The preference of the heavier homologues P(2)-Bi(2) for binding in a side-on mode over the end-on mode in the neutral complexes [(CO)(5)WE(2)] comes mainly from the much stronger electrostatic attraction in the former species. The energy difference between the side-on and end-on isomers of the negatively charged complexes with the ligands Si(2) (2-), Ge(2) (2-), Sn(2) (2-), and Pb(2) (2-) is much less and it cannot be ascribed to a particular bonding component.     

Theoretical and Experimental Study of Medium Effects on the Structure and Spectroscopy of the [Fe(CN)(5)NO](2)(-) Ion

The influence of the solvent on the structure and IR spectrum of the [Fe(CN)(5)NO](2)(-) ion is investigated by using gradient corrected density functional theory. IR spectra are also measured on different solvents and the results obtained are compared with the predicted ones. We have treated the solvent effects with a continuum model, based on the Onsager's reaction field approach; in order to mimic strong specific interactions, calculations were also performed on the complex protonated at the cyanide trans to the nitrosyl group. The reaction field calculations predict only qualitatively the most important observed trends, e.g., the shifts in the nitrosyl stretching wavenumber, but fail in accounting quantitatively for the differences between the spectra in water and acetonitrile. The possible role of specific interactions is consistently accounted for by interpreting the experimental shifts of the NO stretching wavenumber nu(NO), as well as the visible absorption energies, when changing the Lewis acidity of the solvent, as measured by the Gutmann's acceptor number. Ligand population analysis was performed to relate the solvent effects with the sigma donor and pi acceptor behavior of cyanide and nitrosyl ligands. The significance of nu(NO) shifts as a result of changes in the medium is discussed in view of the physiological relevance of transition-metal nitrosyl chemistry.