Nitric Oxide and Related Nitrogen Oxides

CHEMISTRY OF NITRIC OXIDE AND RELATED NITROGEN OXIDES 

Most of biological chemistry can be understood in terms of simple ball and stick models. The chemistry of nitric oxide and related oxides is more intimidating because its patterns of bonding depend strongly on quantum mechanics and molecular orbital theory. But the basics can be grasped by comparison to other molecules and a simple consideration of where nitrogen sits in the periodic table. 

Atom Atomic number Electron configuration Electronegativity (nuclear charge) 

The Oxidation States of Some Common Nitrogen Compounds 

The chemistry of the nitrogen oxides dates back to the days of the Reverend Joseph Priestley, who used the reaction of nitric oxide to measure the concentration of oxygen in air. As a consequence, many of the recommended lUPAC names for nitrogen species have common names. As a general rule, common names are used when they have been widely utilized in the biological literature and lUPAC names for less well-known chemical species. Table 3 should help facilitate translation among the different names. 

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III. CHEMISTRY OF NITRIC OXIDE AND RELATED NITROGEN OXIDES... 

Fukuto, J. M. J. Y Cho and S. H. Switzer (2000) The chemical properties of nitric oxide and related nitrogen oxides. In Nitric oxide, biology and pathobiology (Ed. L. J. Ignarro), Academic Press, San Diego, pp. 23-40... 

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