Video: Reactions of nitrogen monoxide

Nitrogen monoxide can be produced by the reduction of nitrite ion with the weak reducing agent, iron(II) ion:

NO2-(aq) + 2 H+(aq) + e- ® NO(g) + H2O(l)
Fe2+(aq) ® Fe3+(aq) + e-

Nitrogen monoxide is a reducing agent. Nitrogen monoxide reduces permanganate initially to brown solid manganese(IV) oxide and then to aqueous colorless manganese(II) ion, itself being oxidized to some nitrogen dioxide and some nitrate ion:

NO(g) + H2O(l) ® NO2(g) + 2 H+(aq) + 2 e-
NO(g) + 2 H2O(l) ® NO3-(aq) + 4 H+(aq) + 3 e-
MnO4-(aq) + 4 H+(aq) + 3 e- ® MnO2(s) + 2 H2O(l)
MnO2(s) + 4 H+(aq) + 2 e- ® Mn2+(aq) + 2 H2O(l)

Nitrogen monoxide reacts with bromine to form nitrosyl bromide:

2 NO(g) + Br2(aq) ® 2 NOBr(aq)

Nitrogen monoxide oxidises iodide to iodine:

NO(g) + 2 H2O(l) ® NO3-(aq) + 4 H+(aq) + 3 e-
2 I-(aq) ® I2(aq) + 2 e-

With iron(II) ion, the pentaaquanitrosyliron ion is formed:

[Fe(OH2)6]2+(aq) + NO(g) ® [Fe(NO)(OH2)5]2+(aq) + H2O(l)