Cations exchanged in zeolites are generally characterized by a low coordination number and can thus attach simultaneously more than one small guest molecule. For instance, Cu + ions in ZSM-5 can accept, at low temperature, up to three CO and up to two NO molecules. However, only one N 2 molecule can be coordinated to such sites. Although mixed aqua-carbonyl and aqua-dinitrogen complexes are formed, no mixed carbonyl-nitrosyl, carbonyl-dinitrogen or nitrosyl-dinitrogen species can be produced. Thus, adsorption of NO on CO precovered sample results in segregation of the CO adsorption layer according to the reaction: 2 Cu + -CO + 2 NO → Cu + (CO) 2 + Cu + (NO) 2 . Adsorption of N 2 on NO precovered sample leads to a similar process: 2 dinitrogen complexes are produced during CO -N 2 coadsorption. The role of the ligand and the nature of the bond on the formation of geminal and mixed-ligand complexes are discussed. the change of the ligand does not affect the process and consequently mixed ligand species, e.g. Na + (CO)(N 2 ) in NaY, have been isolated. 2 For catalysis, the formation of geminal ad-species with transition metal cations in zeolites is more important. However, in these cases the situation could be complicated. 11 First of all, the socalled "complex-specified" geminal species can be produced with particular cation-adsorbate systems. For instance, with Rh + cations CO forms Rh + (CO) 2 dicarbonyls irrespective of the support. These species do not produce monocarbonyls upon decomposition. 14,15,39 In this case the driving force of the formation of the complexes is the achievement of a stable electron configuration. However, even in these cases the cation coordination is important. Thus, while only dicarbonyls are formed with oxide-supported rhodium, Rh + (CO) 3 and Rh + (CO) 4 species are produced with Rh + sites in zeolites. 14,15 Copper-exchanged zeolites are subjected to a continued interest. They are effective catalysts in many reactions, e.g. selective catalytic reduction of NO x with hydrocarbons, 40,41 decomposition of NO 42 and N 2 O, 43 oxidation of methane to methanol, 44 oxidative carbonylation of methanol to dimethyl carbonate, 45 etc. That is why the coordination state of copper in zeolites has attracted the interest of many researchers. In what follows we shall concentrate on Cu + sites because they demonstrate fascinating coordination chemistry.In 1994 Zechina et al. 18 reported that CO adsorption at room temperature on Cu I -ZSM-5 resulted in formation of Cu + (CO) 2 dicarbonyl species characterized by two IR bands: ν s at 2178 and ν as at 2151 cm -1 . Decrease of the CO equilibrium pressure led to loss of one of the CO ligands and conversion of these species into monocarbonyls (2157 cm -1 ). In contrast, at low temperature a large part of dicarbonyls were converted into tricarbonyls (2190, 2164 and 2140 cm -1 ). Later on, the results were confirmed by other authors 21,22,26 and similar situation was also . EXPERIMENTAL The starting zeolite material was prepared by calcination of NH 4 ZSM-5...