A series of nitrogen-containing inorganic solid compounds with variable oxidation states of nitrogen and counter ions have been successfully applied as new inorganic solid nitrogen sources toward the synthesis of Sc-based metal nitride dusterfullerenes (Sc-NCFs), including ammonium salts [(NH4)(x)H3.xPO4 (x = 0-2), (NH4)(2)SO4, (NH4)(2)CO3, NH4X (X = F, Cl), NH4SCN], thiocyanate (KSCN), nitrates (Cu(NO3)(2), NaNO3), and nitrite (NaNO2). Among them, ammonium phosphates ((NH4)(x)H3.xPO4, x = 1-3) and ammonium thiocyanate (NH4SCN) are revealed to behave as better nitrogen sources than others, and the highest yield of Sc-NCFs is achieved when NH4SCN was used as a nitrogen source. The optimum molar ratio of Sc2O3:(NH4)(3)PO4 center dot 3H(2)O:C and Sc2O3:NH4SCN:C has been determined to be 1:2:15 and 1:3:15, respectively. The thermal decomposition products of these 12 inorganic compounds have been discussed in order to understand their different performances toward the synthesis of Sc-NCFs, and accordingly the dependence of the production yield of Sc-NCFs on the oxidation state of nitrogen and counter ion is interpreted. The yield of Sc3N@C-80 (I-h + D-5h) per gram Sc2O3 by using the N-2-based group of nitrogen sources (thiocyanate, nitrates, and nitrite) is overall much lower than those by using gaseous N-2 and NH4SCN, indicating the strong dependence of the yield of Sc-NCFs on the oxidation state of nitrogen, which is attributed to the "in-situ" redox reaction taking place for the N-2-based group of nitrogen sources during discharging. For NH3-based group of nitrogen sources (ammonium salts) which exhibits a (-3) oxidation states of nitrogen, their performance as nitrogen sources is found to be sensitively dependent on the anion, and this is understood by considering their difference on the thermal stability and/or decomposition rate. Contrarily, for the N-2-based group of nitrogen sources, the formation of Sc-NCFs is independent to both the oxidation state of nitrogen (+3 or +5) and the cation.