Synthesis and crystal structure of a salicylatooxovanadium(V) complex of an aminebis(phenolate) ligand: Kinetic studies on its formation from corresponding alkoxo complexes

Synthesis and single crystal X-ray structures of H₂L¹ and VO(L¹)(HL) [H₂L¹ = N,N-bis(2-hydroxy-3,5-ditertiarybutyl)-N′,N′-dimethylethylendiamine) or simply aminebis(phenol) and H₂L = salicylic acid) are reported here. The complex [VO(L¹)(HL)] is in distorted octahedral geometry under O₄N₂ donor environment where the basal core is defined by O(1), O(3), O(2) and N(5) atoms and two axial coordinates are occupied by O(4), an alkoxo-group and N(1), an imino-nitrogen atom. The electron spray mass spectrometric study on [VO(L¹)(HL)] in MeCN clearly points out the existence of single species in solution. Again, the ⁵¹V NMR of the bulk polycrystalline sample reveals that the complex [VO(L¹)(HL)] mainly exists in three out of four possible isomers. The formation of [VO(L¹)(HL)] from both [VO(L¹)(OMe)] and [VO(L¹)(OEt)] was followed kinetically by reacting with salicylic acid in MeCN. The presence of isosbestic point indicates a clean conversion of the reactants to product.