Abstract
Nitric oxide is not only an important biological molecule with varied indispensable physiological roles but also shows interesting chemical reactivity both in gas-phase and solution phase. Even though it is a small molecule with an extremely low electron affinity, the reactivity of NO in the gas-phase is not just limited to electron-transfer or adduct formation. NO can behave both as an electrophile with closed-shell anions or as a radical with open-shell anions. Its reactivity with open-shell anions is characteristic and varied leading to interesting rearrangements. Nitric oxide anion undergoes spin-forbidden proton transfer with strong acids. Also, the ability of NO to serve both as one-electron or three-electron donor ligand can result in adduct formation or substitution reactions with transition metal complexes.
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