X-ray absorption spectra are reported for two classes of ring systems, cyclic polymethylene sulfides and organochromium ring compounds with phosphorus-complexing bidentate ligands. For the cyclic polymethylene sulfides, spectra were acquired in the region of the sulfur K-edge. For the organochromium complexes, spectra were acquired at both the chromium K-edge and at the phosphorus K-edge. These systems allow one to interrogate how the spectra evolve as the bond angle about the absorbing atom is varied. Systematic trends are observed as a function of ring size/bond angle. For the cyclic sulfides, the peaks in the continuum above the sulfur K-edge shift to higher energy and broaden with increasing ring size. These continuum features are assigned to shape resonances. In the chromium K-edge measurements, changes in the P-Cr-C bond angle do not influence the spectra appreciably, indicating that the four carbonyl groups dominate the photoelectron scattering processes. However, the phosphorus K-edge spectra are sensitive to changes in the endocyclic Cr-P-C bond angle. The trends observed in the phosphorus K-edge region for the organometallic continuum features are consistent with those observed for the cyclic polymethylene sulfides. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics.