Tribovanadate

Tribovanadate is a polyoxidovanadate anion consisting of three vanadium centers linked by oxide ligands, typically formulated as [V3O9]3−. It is part of the wider family of polyvanadates that emerge in aqueous vanadate chemistry and can exist with various protonation and salt forms depending on pH and counterions.

Structurally, tribovanadate comprises three VO6/VO4 units sharing oxide bridges; the exact connectivity can vary, yielding different isomers in solution and in crystals. The average vanadium oxidation state is +5, and the overall anion carries a 3− charge, suitable for salts with alkali, alkaline earth, or ammonium cations.

Tribovanadate forms through condensation of vanadate species under appropriate conditions, typically in basic to neutral solutions with suitable cations. It coexists with other polyvanadates such as metavanadate, orthovanadate, and decavanadate, with speciation strongly dependent on pH, ionic strength, and temperature.

Characterization commonly uses techniques such as UV-Vis spectroscopy, NMR (V-51), EPR for V(IV) impurities, and X-ray crystallography when crystalline salts are obtained. Tribovanadate-containing salts are usually colored due to V(V)–O charge-transfer bands.

Applications of tribovanadate chemistry are mainly in fundamental polyoxometalate research, catalysis, and materials science, where the redox activity and structural diversity of polyvanadates are explored. It is related to broader vanadate chemistry including metavanadate, orthovanadate, and decavanadate species.