RESUMO
A systematic study of the physiologically interesting vanadium-maltol (V-MaH) system has been performed in 0.150 M Na(Cl) at 25 degrees C, using NMR, ESR, and potentiometric techniques. Complexation occurs within a wide pH range, from around 1 up to 10.5. However, a pH-, concentration-, and time-dependent spontaneous reduction of vanadium(V) to vanadium(IV) occurs. From ESR spectra the conditions for this reduction are evaluated and discussed. From potentiometric (glass electrode) and quantitative (51)V NMR measurements, the full speciation in the H(+)-H(2)VO(4)(-)-MaH system was determined in the pH range 5-10.5. Data were evaluated with the computer program LAKE, which is able to treat combined emf and NMR data. The pK(a) value for MaH was determined to be 8.437 +/- 0.005. In the ternary system, three complexes are formed: VMa(2)(-), VMa(-), and VMa(2)(-), having log beta(0,1,2) = 7.02 +/- 0.03, log beta(0,1,1) = 2.66 +/- 0.05, and log beta(-)(1,1,1) = -7.37 +/- 0.21. The errors given are 3sigma. The VMa(2)(-) complex appears as the main species in a pH range from 4.5 to 8.5, whereas both mononuclear monoligand species are minor. Equilibrium conditions are illustrated in distribution diagrams, and the structures of the complexes formed are proposed.