The reaction of in situ generated Cp
2V(OTf)
2 (Cp = cyclopentadienyl; OTf = O
3SCF
3) with excess1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridine yields the d
1 vanadocene coordination compounds [Cp
2V(phen)][OTf]
2(
1) and [Cp
2V(bpy)][OTf]
2 (
2), respectively. The compounds have been characterized by UV-vis and EPRspectroscopy and by cyclic voltammetry. The complexes have relatively low vanadium(IV)-vanadium(III) reductionpotentials (-0.62 V vs Cp
2Fe
+/0 in acetonitrile). Structures of
1 and
2 have been determined by X-raycrystallography. Compound
1 crystallized in a monoclinic system, space group
P2
1/
n, with
a = 10.2763(5) Å,
b= 18.1646(9) Å,
c = 13.5741(7) Å,
= 99.4150(10)
, and
Z = 4. Refinement of its structure by full-matrixleast-squares techniques gave final residuals
R = 0.040 and
Rw = 0.096. Compound
2 crystallized in a monoclinicsystem, space group
P2
1/
c, with
a = 10.6451(6) Å,
b = 18.3863(10) Å,
c = 12.6993(7) Å,
= 98.6220(10)
,and
Z = 4. Refinement of its structure by full-matrix least-squares techniques gave final residuals
R = 0.046 and
Rw = 0.101. The two nitrogen atoms and centroids of the two cyclopentadienyl rings for both compounds occupya distorted tetrahedral geometry around the vanadium(IV) center. The chelated ring plane is inclined closer toone of the neighboring Cp rings with the tilt more evident in
1 (~8
) than
2 (~4
). The membrane interactionsof these compounds and the titanium analogues, [Cp
2Ti(phen)][OTf]
2 (
3) and [Cp
2Ti(bpy)][OTf]
2 (
4), have beenstudied with zwitterionic unilamellar liposomes as artificial membranes. We show that the ability of metallocenesto enhance the permeability of a liposomal membrane depends on the hydrophobicity, as well as the size andplanarity of the ancillary chelated ligands, but not the nature of the central metal ion. Also provided is evidencethat metallocene-induced permeability changes in artificial membranes are not caused by lipid peroxidation.