Hydroxamic acids are nitric oxide donors. Facile formation of ruthenium(II)-nitrosyls and NO-mediated activation of guanylate cyclase by hydroxamic acids

Hydroxamic acids are shown for the first time to be effective NO donors by their ability to readily form ruthenium(II)-nitrosyls, and to cause vascular relaxation of rat aorta by NO-mediated activation of the iron-containing guanylate cyclase.