The penta-coordinated vanadyl complexes [VO(ON)(2)] have been obtained by reaction between [VOX(2)] (X = acetylacetonate or chloride) and the Schiff base ligands HON = (R)-sal-am, (R)-Clsal-am and (S)-naph-am, where sal and naph are the salicylidene and naphthalidene moieties, and am derives from phenylethylamine