Synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry and thermal study of vanadyl tridentate Schiff base complexes

The VO(IV) complexes of tridentate ONO Schiff ligands were synthesised and characterized by IR, UV–vis and elemental analysis. The electrochemical properties of the vanadyl complexes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry. A good correlation was observed between the oxidation potentials and the electron withdrawing character of the substituents on the Schiff base ligands, showing the following trend: MeO < H < Br < NO₂ and H < Cl. The thermogravimetry (TG) and differential thermoanalysis (DTA) of the VO(IV) complexes were carried out in the range of 20–700 °C. The VOL¹(OH₂) decomposed in two steps whereas the remaining six complexes decomposed in three steps. The thermal decomposition of these complexes is closely related to the nature of the Schiff base ligands and proceeds via first order kinetics.