Nitryl



Nitryl is the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) moiety when it occurs in a larger compound as a univalent fragment. Examples include nitryl fluoride (NO2F) and nitryl chloride (NO2Cl).

Like nitrogen dioxide, the nitryl moiety contains a nitrogen atom with two bonds to the two oxygen atoms, and a third bond shared equally between the nitrogen and the two oxygen atoms. The nitrogen-centred radical is then free to form a bond with another univalent fragment (X) to produce an N−X bond, where X can be F, Cl, OH, etc.

In organic nomenclature, the nitryl moiety is known as the nitro group. For instance, nitryl benzene is normally called nitrobenzene (PhNO2).