Protonation Equilibria of Mononuclear Vanadate: Thermodynamic Evidence for the Expansion of the Coordination Number in VO(2)(+)

A spectrophotometric investigation of the protonation of HVO(4)(2-) has been conducted at vanadium(V) concentrations low enough (5 x 10(-5) mol dm(-3)) to prevent the formation of polynuclear ions. Equilibrium constants as well as enthalpy and entropy changes for the formation of H(2)VO(4)(-) and VO(2)(+) have been determined in ionic medium: 1.0 mol dm(-3) NaCl and NaClO(4), respectively. The percentage concentration of the neutral species, H(3)VO(4), is so low (apparently <1%) that the protonation of H(2)VO(4)(-) to form VO(2)(+) occurs virtually in a single step. The disproportionately great stability of VO(2)(+) relative to H(3)VO(4) is explained in terms of an increase in the coordination number of vanadium when the cationic species is formed. This explanation is based on a comparison of the thermodynamic quantities of the vanadium(V) species with those of various other oxyacids reported in the literature.