On the interaction of vanadium species with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid

The interaction of the VO2+ cation with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) was investigated by electron absorption spectroscopy in aqueous solution at different pH values. The spectral behavior, complemented with a spectrophotometric titration, shows the generation of a [VO(DMSA)2]2− complex in which the oxocation interacts with two pairs of deprotonated-SH groups of the acid. It was also found that DMSA rapidly reduces VO3− to VO2+, which might be chelated by an excess of the acid. DMSA can also produce the partial reduction of a V2O5 suspension at pH=5.2. The results of this study suggest that DMSA might be a potentially useful detoxification agent for vanadium.