Thermal behavior, powder X-ray diffraction, DFT calculations and vibrational spectra of barium bis(pentacyanonitrosylchromate) octahydrate, Ba3[Cr(CN)5NO]2.8H2O(D2O).

The cell parameters of Ba3[Cr(CN)5NO]2.8H2O were determined from powder X-ray diffraction using the autoindexing program TREOR, and refined by the Le Bail methods with the FULLPROF program. An orthorhombic cell was determined with cell parameters a = 15.0324(2) A, b = 12.9542(9) A, and c = 7.5094(5) A. Two possible space groups are consistent with the systematic absences: Pmcb (#55) and P2cb (#32). Infrared spectra are reported for the polycrystalline compound, isotopically normal and partially deuterated, at temperatures ranging between ca. 80 K and 293 K together with the room temperature Raman spectrum. The assignment of the observed bands was accomplished assuming the existence of one type of pentacyanonitrosylchromate ion in the asymmetric unit, as suggested by the single band found in the NO stretching region of the deuterated anion and in the anhydrous compound. TGA-DTA data are also reported and discussed. The assignments are supported by DFT calculations of the normal modes of vibration of the [Cr(CN)5NO](3-) structure, optimized at the same level of theory.

Infrared evidence of NO linkage photoisomerization in Na2[Fe(CN)5NO].2H2O at low temperature: experimental and theoretical (DFT) isotopic shifts from 15n(O), 18O and 54Fe species.

Infrared spectra of the metastable state I (MSI) of normal and 15NO, N18O and 54Fe isotopically substituted sodium nitroprusside dihydrate (Na2[Fe(CN)5NO].2H2O) have been obtained at 77 K. A comparison of the isotopic shifts measured for the vibrational modes of the FeXY (XY = NO or ON) moiety with those calculated by means of quantum chemistry (DFT) procedures supports the linear Fe-O = N arrangement for the MSI state.