A well-defined terminal vanadium(III) oxo complex

The ubiquity of vanadium oxo complexes in the V+ and IV+ oxidation states has contributed to a comprehensive understanding of their electronic structure and reactivity. However, despite being predicted to be stable by ligand-field theory, the isolation and characterization of a well-defined terminal mononuclear vanadium(III) oxo complex has remained elusive. We present the synthesis and characterization of a unique terminal mononuclear vanadium(III) oxo species supported by the pentadentate polypyridyl ligand 2,6-bis[1,1-bis(2-pyridyl)ethyl]pyridine (PY5Me₂). Exposure of [V^II(NCCH₃)(PY5Me₂)]²⁺ (1) to either dioxygen or selected O-atom-transfer reagents yields [V^IV(O)(PY5Me₂)]²⁺ (2). The metal-centered one-electron reduction of this vanadium(IV) oxo complex furnishes a stable, diamagnetic [V^III(O)(PY5Me₂)]⁺ (3) species. The vanadium(III) oxo species is unreactive toward H- and O-atom transfer but readily reacts with protons to form a putative vanadium hydroxo complex. Computational results predict that further one-electron reduction of the vanadium(III) oxo species will result in ligand-based reduction, even though pyridine is generally considered to be a poor π-accepting ligand. These results have implications for future efforts toward low-valent vanadyl chemistry, particularly with regard to the isolation and study of formal vanadium(II) oxo species.