Aquaperoxovanadium(V) complexes: Quantum-chemical study

The addition of a water molecule to mono-, di-, and triperoxovanadium(V) complexes has been studied at the density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G**) and Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2/6-31G**) levels. It has been demonstrated that the H₂O…V donor-acceptor interaction cannot compete with hydrogen bonds and becomes weaker with an increase in the number of peroxo groups in the complex. In the most stable isomers of aquaperoxo complexes, water is mainly held by intermediate hydrogen bonds. The energy of addition of a water molecule to peroxovanadate is lower than or close to the heat of evaporation of water; i.e., the formation of stable aquaperoxovanadium complexes in aqueous solutions is improbable. This conclusion is consistent with the mass spectra of aqueous solutions of peroxovanadates, which show that the concentration of water-free peroxo complexes considerably exceeds the concentration of complexes with a coordinated water molecule. The coordination of the water molecule through the V…OH₂ donor-acceptor interaction is prevented by the cis effect of the peroxo group, which has the HOMO orbital of symmetry suitable for interaction with the LUMO orbital of the VO group.