The preparation of vanadyl(III) and (IV) salqu complexes (salqu= 2-quinoxalinol salen) provides an opportunity for comparative spectroscopic and electrochemical studies of VO2+ and UO22+, both members of a relatively small group of metals bearing the terminal oxo moiety. As the salqu ligand has been shown to selectively bind uranyl compounds, its use in developing sensors for actinide contamination is promising, however it can provide similar signals for first row transition metals, especially Cu(II). If the unique oxo feature can be exploited on vanadyl salqu complexes, i.e. by replacing the oxygen occupying the fifth coordination site with a strong σ-donor such as IMes (1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-imidazolium), a common NHC, then similar modifications to uranyl salqu complexes may prevent the binding of solvent to the metal center, changing its electrochemistry and other properties, possibly making it a more effective sensor. Rational syntheses for other first row transition metal salqu complexes (Mn, Co, Ni, Cu) have been established for spectroscopic comparison with the uranyl complexes, however none of these share the “yl” feature. Because very few V salen-based complexes exist, salqu complexes of V(III and (IV) would flesh out this area of vanadium chemistry, and at the very least serve as a benchmark for more comparative electrochemical studies of uranyl salqu complexes.

Exploitation of new five-coordinate vanadyl complexes for comparative uranyl studies and application to metal sequestration

251st National Meeting (2016)

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