Reaction of nitric oxide with N,N'-ethylenebis(acetylacetoneiminato)iron(ii), [Fe(acacen)], led to a mixed-valence tetranuclear iron complex, { [ON-Fe{a~acen(NO)~}]~Fe}, containing, as seen from the X-ray analysis, three ironnitrosyl complexes binding the fourth iron in an octahedral cavity with six oxygen donor atoms.Reaction of NO with transition metal chelate and macrocyclic complexes is quite straightforward and leads to the corresponding metal-nitrosyl derivatives. 1,2 Such a class of compounds is interesting for a variety of reason^.^ In particular, the iron-Schiff base complexes containing a nitrosyl group have been extensively studied for their peculiar magnetic properties.4 Their synthesis was performed by the normal methodology, reacting NO with the iron(r1)-Schiff base complex.We found, however, that the reaction of NO with N , N 'ethylenebis(acetylacetoneiminato)iron(r~), [Fe(acacen)], (1), is very complex and occurs both at the metal and at the ligand ending with a polymetallic aggregate. The unique nature of the reaction is shown by the fact that [Fe(salen)]4 [salen = N,N'-ethylenebis(salicylaldiminato)dianion] and substituted [Fe(acacen)]2 undergo normal nitrosation at the metal. The synthesis of (1) was recently reported,5 and the complex was found to be soluble in aromatic hydrocarbons and monomeric in solution. A toluene or tetrahydrofuran solution of (1) was reacted with NO at room temperature. A few hours later, complex (2) separated from the solution as black crystals (ca.