I noticed that in a description of the byproduct of lightning that instead of it giving a discrete formula it was NOx, and NOx compounds can also result from other high energy events and even a microwave to form NO2 or 3, so is there a limit to what the O can be? Or is it just as I increase the energy, I increase the capacity for O? Could I have NO100?

Edited December 2, 201114 yr by questionposter

Ultimately you are limited by the valence of nitrogen. Nitrogen tends to need 8 valence electrons in it's n=2 level.

 

You can have higher oxides of nitrogen though, most of them just have bridging oxygen atoms.

 

For example [ce] N_{2}O_{5} [/ce]

Edited December 2, 201114 yr by mississippichem