Reactions of oxobis(acetylacetonato)-vanadium (IV) with some purine and pyrimidine bases and nucleosides.

A study of the reactions of purine and pyrimidine bases has been initiated with the V(IV) complex [V(O)(acac)2]. Two distinct modes of reaction have been recognized depending on the nature of the base. Simple adduct formation occurs when the base contains a sufficiently basic lone pair, but when bases contain acidic protons bound to nitrogen (inosine, thymine), cleavage of one acetylacetonate ligand occurs to give potentially polymeric species. This behavior is in contrast to that of the inert [Co(NO2)2(acac)2]-ion.