Dimeric Oxidovanadium(IV) Complex Bearing 1,10-Phenanthroline

New crystals of di-µ-methoxido-bis[(2-ethylhexanoato-κO)oxido(1,10-phenanthroline-κ²N,N')vanadium(IV)], C₄₂H₅₂N₄O₈V₂, have been synthesized, characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance and X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c: a = 13.0656(11) Å, b = 9.1474(8) Å, c = 17.0299(14) Å, β = 94.387(4)°, Z = 2, R_gt = 0.0617, wR(F²) = 0.169, T = 150(2) K. The dimeric oxidovanadium(IV) complex consists of two [V^IVO(OCOC₇H₁₅)(phen)] units connected with two methanolate bridges. The vanadium atoms have a distorted octahedral environment with four oxygen and two nitrogen atoms. The V=O bond length is 1.601(3) Å; the V–O bond lengths in the symmetrical V₂O₂ core are 1.973(2) and 2.007(3) Å. The vanadium–oxygen bond lengths in the carboxylate are 1.974(3) Å. The V–N interatomic distances depend on the configuration towards the oxidoligand. Preliminary experiments on solvent-borne alkyd resins revealed promising catalytic activity in the auto-oxidation process.