Synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of mononuclear O,N-chelated vanadium(IV) and -(III) complexes of methyl 2-Aminocyclopent-1-ene-1-dithiocarboxylate based ligand: reporting an example of conformational isomerism in the solid state.

Vanadium(IV) and -(III) complexes of a tetradentate N(2)OS Schiff base ligand H(2)L [derived from methyl 2-((beta-aminoethyl)amino)cyclopent-1-ene-1-dithiocarboxylate and salicylaldehyde] are reported. In all the complexes, the ligand acts in a bidentate (N,O) fashion leaving a part containing the N,S donor set uncoordinated. The oxovanadium(IV) complex [VO(HL)(2)] (1) is obtained by the reaction between [VO(acac)(2)] and H(2)L. In the solid state, compound 1 has two conformational isomers 1a and 1b; both have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. Compound 1a has the syn conformation that enforces the donor atoms around the metal center to adopt a distorted tbp structure (tau = 0.55). Isomer 1b on the other hand has an anti conformation with almost a regular square pyramidal geometry (tau = 0.06) around vanadium. In solution, however, 1 prefers to be in the square pyramidal form. A second variety of vanadyl complex [VO(L(cyclic))(2)](I(3))(2) (2) with a new bidentate O,N donor ligand involving isothiazolium moiety has been obtained by a ligand-based oxidation of the precursor complex 1 with iodine. Preliminary X-ray and FAB mass spectroscopic data of 2 have supported the formation of a heterocyclic moiety by a ring closure reaction involving a N-S bond. Vanadium(III) complex [V(acac)(HL)(2)] (3) has been obtained through partial ligand displacement of [V(acac)(3)] with H(2)L. Compound 3 has almost a regular octahedral structure completed by two bidentate HL ligands along with an acetylacetonate molecule. Electronic spectra, magnetism, EPR, and redox properties of these compounds are reported.