Structure and Properties
Nitroprusside is a complex anion that features an octahedral ferrous centre surrounded by five tightly bound cyanide ligands and one linear nitric oxide ligand. The molecular symmetry is C4v. Linear nitrosyl ligands are assigned a single positive charge, thus the iron is assigned an oxidation state of 2+. As such it has a low-spin d6 electron configuration and is diamagnetic; together with the relatively short N-O distance of 113pm and the relatively high stretching wavenumber of 1947 cm−1, the complex is formulated as containing an + ligand.
The chemical reactions of sodium nitroprusside are mainly associated with the NO ligand. For example, addition of S2- ion to 2- produces the red 4- ion, which is the basis for a sensitive test for S2- ions. An analogous reaction also exists with OH- ions, giving 4-.
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