The present invention provides nitric ester compound corresponding to the formula:
in which the cation M is selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen, alkali metal cations, alkaline earth metal cations, Group III metal cations, transition metal cations, ammonium ions (including organic-substituted ammonium cations), including mixtures of any two or more of the foregoing; R1 and R2 are each independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen and a C1 to C6 hydrocarbyl group; n represents the valence of the cation, including the integers 1, 2, and 3; X is an anion selected from the group consisting of: fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate, phosphate, monohydrogen phosphate, taurate, dihydrogen phosphate, monohydrogen sulfate, sulfate, carbonate, bicarbonate, hydroxide, carboxylate, dicarboxylate and polycarboxylate anions; y is the valence of the anionic species X and may be 1, 2, or 3; p may be any integer including 1, 2, and 3, subject to the proviso that p is not greater than n; q may be any integer selected from the group consisting of: 0, 1, 2, 3 subject to the proviso that q is not greater than n−p, and further subject to the provisos that the sum of p plus the product of (y times q) equals the valence n of the cation M and that p is not equal to zero. The compounds of the invention are useful as coronary vasodilators.