A family of mixed-ligand oxovanadium(V) complexes incorporating tridentate ONO donor hydrazone ligands derived from acetylhydrazide and 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde/2-hydroxyacetophenone

In the title family the tridentate ONO donor ligands are the fully deprotonated forms of acetylhydrazones of 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde (H₂L¹) and 2-hydroxyacetophenone (H₂L²) (general abbreviation H₂L), while bidentate mononegative OO donor ligands are the deprotonated salicylaldehyde (Hsal), vanillin (Hvan) and monodeprotonated 1,2-ethanediol (H₂ed) (general abbreviation HB). The reaction of V^IVO(acac)₂ with H₂L and Hsal or Hvan in equimolar ratio in MeOH afforded the complexes of the type [V^VO(L)(B)], (1)–(4). The reaction of V^IVO(acac)₂ with H₂L¹ (in an equimolar ratio) and an excess of H₂ed in MeOH yielded the complex [V^VO(L¹)(Hed)], (5) but the similar reaction with H₂L² ligand failed to produce such a type of complex. Complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses and by i.r., n.m.r. and u.v.-vis. spectroscopies. All the complexes are diamagnetic and display only LMCT bands. ¹H-n.m.r. spectral data indicate that complexes (1)–(4) exist in two isomeric forms [(1A), (1B); (2A), (2B); (3A), (3B) and (4A), (4B)] in different ratios in CDCI₃ solution. Complexes (1)–(4) display a quasi-reversible one electron reduction peak in the −0.06 to +0.05 V versuss.c.e. region in CH₂CI₂ solution and (5) displays an irreversible reduction peak at −0.46 V versuss.c.e. in DMF solution. The trend in the redox potential values has been correlated with the basicity of both the primary and auxiliary ligands.