MOLECULAR-COMPLEXES OF NITRIC-ACID WITH N-2, CO AND NO STUDIED BY MATRIX-ISOLATION IR SPECTROSCOPY

The interaction of nitric acid with dinitrogen, carbon monoxide and ni tric oxide has been investigated by IR spectroscopy in low-temperature argon matrices. The spectra show that under these conditions N-2 inte racts strongly and specifically with HNO3, forming several distinct 1 : 1 complexes. The probable structures of these complexes are discusse d. CO behaves in a similar manner to N-2, forming complexes of the typ e O=C ... H-ONO2; weak bands due to a C=O ... H-ONO2 complex were gene rated by photolysis. For NO, complexes of HNO3 were observed with both monomeric and dimeric NO. The strength of interaction with HNO3 was f ound to increase in the order N-2 < NO < CO.