Nitrogen K-shell photoabsorption spectra of KCN, KAu(CN)(2) and KAg(CN)(2) were recorded using the synchrotron based X-ray absorption fine structure (XANES) spectroscopy. All types of transitions commonly appearing in the near edge region, i.e., K --> pi* transitions, Rydberg transitions, double excitations and shape resonances, are observed in the nitrogen XANES spectra of KCN, KAu(CN)(2) and KAg(CN)(2). The results show that there is a blue shift of the lowest energy transition (K --> pi* resonance) after CN- forms [Au(CN)(2)(-)](n) and [Ag(CN)(2)(-)](n) complexes. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.