This was my first encounter with nitrogen triiodide (NI 3 ), a compound formed by reacting elemental iodine with ammonium hydroxide. In nitrogen triiodide, due to the structure of the electron shells of nitrogen, the three iodine atoms all bond to one side of the nitrogen atom. There's an additional bit of sloppy terminology associated with nitrogen triiodide. When one makes what is called “nitrogen triiodide” from iodine and ammonium hydroxide, what is actually produced is an adduct of NI 3 and ammonia which is written [NI 3 · NH 3 ]. The adduct was discovered in 1812, and is usually called just “nitrogen triiodide” because it is that component which gives it its bang.