The intra- and intermolecular chemistry of phenylnitrene (PhN), its singlet
-triplet energy separation, and its electronic spectra are interpreted with
the aid of ab initio molecular orbital theory. The key to understanding si
nglet PhN is the recognition that this species has an open-shell electronic
structure, in contrast to the related species, phenylcarbene, which has a
closed-shell electronic structure. The thermodynamics of nitrenes, benzazir
ines, dehydroazepines, aminyl radicals, and their hydrocarbon analogues are
also discussed.