An intracluster proton-promoted reaction leading to a ligand switching
in mixed NO2+ complexes of nitric acid and its derivatives is describ
ed. The proton affinity and the NO2+ binding energy are demonstrated t
o be the factors affecting the process, the trend of which is shown to
reflect the peculiar properties of nitric acid and its derivatives. (
C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.