Compounds with vanadium–nitrogen and vanadium–oxygen multiple bonds

Vanadium nitrido complexes are generally not accessible by routes successful in rhenium and molybdenum chemistry. The vanadium–nitrogen triple bond is reactive, and easily forms phosphiniminato complexes, two of which [V(NPMe2Ph)Cl3(PMe2Ph)2] and [V(NPMe2Ph)Cl3(PMe2Ph)2]·H2O, have been structurally characterised. The compound [V(NMe)Cl3(py)2](py = pyridine) and related alkylimido species have been synthesised. They can apparently be converted by base to alkylideneamido complexes, but the only material unequivocally and structurally characterised from such systems was [VOCl2(py)2], formed by hydrolysis.