ðeɪ ɑːɹ ˈɔːlsoʊ pɹˈoʊn tʊ ˌʌndɚɡˈoʊ hˌɑːməlˈɪɾɪk klˈiːvɪdʒ tə fˈɔːɹm ˈælkaɪl ɹˈædɪkəlz, ðə nˈaɪtɹaɪt sˈiː ˈoʊ bˈɑːnd bˌiːɪŋ vˈɛɹi wˈiːk ɔnðɪ ˈɔːɹdɚɹ ʌv fˈoːɹɾi fˈɪfti kˈeɪkˈæl mˈɑːl mˈaɪnəs wˈʌn.
They are also prone to undergo homolytic cleavage to form alkyl radicals, the nitrite C–O bond being very weak (on the order of 40–50 kcal ⋅ mol−1).