Analogies between Vanadoborates and Planar Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A High-Spin Analogue of Aromaticity

The vanadium-vanadium interactions in the polygonal aggregates of d¹ vanadium(IV) atoms, with a total of 4k + 2 vanadium electrons (k an integer) imbedded in an electronically inactive borate matrix in certain vanadoborate structures are analogous to the ring carbon-carbon interactions in diamagnetic planar cyclic hydrocarbons. They thus represent a high-spin analogue of aromaticity. Thus, the vanadoborate anion [V₆B20O50H₈]8- with six V(IV) electrons (i.e., 4k + 2 for k = 1) contains a macrohexagon of d¹ V(IV) atoms with four unpaired electrons. This high-spin system is related to the low-spin aromaticity in the diamagnetic benzene having six π electrons. Similarly, the vanadoborate anion [V10B28O74H₈]16- with ten V(IV) electrons (i.e., 4k + 2 for k = 2) contains a macrodecagon of d¹ V(IV) atoms with eight unpaired electrons. Again, this high-spin system is related to the aromaticity in the diamagnetic 1,6-methanol[10]annulene, having ten π electrons.