Syntheses, X-ray Structures, and Solution Properties of [V(4)O(4){(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(3)(OC(2)H(5))(3)] and...

Tetranuclear vanadium complexes with alkoxy ligands, [V(4)O(4){&mgr;,&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(2)(OCH(3))(6)] (1) and [V(4)O(4){&mgr;-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}{&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}{&mgr;,&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(OR)(3)] (R = C(2)H(5) (2), R = CH(CH(3))(2) (3), R = CH(3) (4)), were synthesized by reacting VO(OR)(3) and H(3)thme (H(3)thme = 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane) in alcohol. Complex 1 crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 9.646(4) Å, b = 11.502(3) Å, c = 11.960(3) Å, beta = 90.20(3) degrees, V = 1326.9 (7) Å(3), Z = 2 and R (wR(2)) = 0.045 (0.143). Complex 2 also crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 8.290(8) Å, b = 12.237(2) Å, c = 29.118(4) Å, beta = 89.455(9) degrees, V = 2954(3) Å(3), Z = 4, and R(wR(2)) = 0.049 (0.126). Both 1 and 2 are neutral, discrete complexes possessing a common [V(4)O(16)](12)(-) core, which consists of four vanadium(V) atoms chelated by two (1) or three (2) tridentate thme(3)(-) ligands and by six (1) or three (2) RO(-) groups. Compound 1 exhibits a crystallographically required inversion center; in contrast, complex 2 exhibits no crystallographically imposed symmetry, and its three trialkoxy ligands each coordinate differently (one thme(3)(-) is coordinated in a new coordination mode with the oxygens in a terminal, doubly-bridging and triply-bridging mode). Both compounds 1 and 2 maintain their structures in solution, although compound 1 also forms a second minor species upon dissolution. Sequential exchanges of the RO(-) groups in complexes 2 and 3 were investigated by (51)V and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. For example, [V(4)O(4)(thme)(3)(OC(2)H(5))(3)] will react with CH(3)OH to generate [V(4)O(4)(thme)(3)(OCH(3))(3)] (4). These reactions were found to be reversible. The time scale of the alcohol exchange reactions were found to vary depending on the vanadium center that is undergoing the exchange.