Vanadium complexes possess a wide reactivity spectrum which makes them attractive for various applications. They are easily oxidized and reduced, enabling a wide range of interactions with enzymes, receptors and other biological systems.^1-3 We have recently had success with a range of vanadium Schiff bases, and have worked to fine-tune the properties a series of non-innocent complexes. The therapeutic potential of vanadium complexes has underutilized potential due to their diverse activities against various pathologies: diabetes,⁴ cancer,⁵ neurodegenerative disorder⁶ and for other medical uses including treatment of bacterial,⁷ viral⁸ and parasitic⁹ diseases.
Limited stability in biological media of many transition-metal complexes including vanadium complexes has hampered their medicinal applications.¹⁰ However, we have recently found that some non-innocent vanadium catecholate complexes have desirable properties against several cancers and continues to explore different Schiff base scaffolds. Phosphines are known to infer stability on low oxidation states metal complexes¹¹ because they are σ-donor and π-acceptors. Furthermore, their electronic properties can be widely modified in a systematic way by changing the substituents on the phosphorus.^12,13 However, little is known about phosphino vanadium complexes, so we explore the properties of a series of vanadium Schiff base catecholate complexes with the objective of comparing their properties with similar vanadium phosphino complexes.

Sandra Koziel

Appearances