The room temperature form of NbO has a tetragonal, rutile-like structure with short Nb-Nb distances, indicating Nb-Nb bonding. The high temperature form also has a rutile-like structure with short Nb-Nb distances. Two high-pressure phases have been reported: one with a rutile-like structure (again, with short Nb-Nb distances); and a higher pressure with baddeleyite-related structure.
NbO is insoluble in water and is a powerful reducing agent, reducing carbon dioxide to carbon and sulfur dioxide to sulfur. In an industrial process for the production of niobium metal, NbO is produced as an intermediate, by the hydrogen reduction of NbO. The NbO is subsequently reacted with magnesium vapor to produce niobium metal.