Reaction of [V(VI)OCl(2)(thf)(2)] with a bidentate nitrogen-donor ligand (L: phen=1,10-phenanthroline, 5-mephen=5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline, bipy=2,2'-bipyridine, 5,5'-me(2)bipy=5,5'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipy) in methyl alcohol, in the presence of triethylamine, leads to the formation of hexameric [V(2) (IV)V(4) (V)] oxo-alkoxo-vanadates of the general formula [V(6)O(12)(mu(2)-OCH(3))(4)(L)(4)].x H(2)O [L=phen (1.4 H(2)O), 5-mephen (2.6 H(2)O), bipy (3.4 H(2)O), 5,5'-me(2)bipy (4.H(2)O)]. X-ray structure analysis of 1.2 H(2)O and 4.8 CH(3)OH revealed a pair of V(3)O(13)N(4) trimeric units sharing two corners, with a centrosymmetric planar V(6)-core. In addition, a fully oxidized V(V) species [V(V) (4)O(8)(OCH(3))(2)(mu(3)-OCH(3))(2)(5,5'-me(2)bipy)(2)].3 CH(3)OH (5.3 CH(3)OH) was isolated from the reaction mixture used for the synthesis of 4.H(2)O. The crystal structure of 5.3 CH(3)OH revealed a dicubane-like framework with two missing vertices. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility studies for the hexamers 1.4 H(2)O and 3.4 H(2)O showed the complete localization of the single 3d electrons on the V(IV) ions and unusual ferromagnetic interaction between the two paramagnetic vanadium(IV) ions separated by a distance of about 5.1 A. Furthermore, intermolecular antiferromagnetic interactions through pi-contacts of phenyl rings were observed for these species below 8 K. The ferromagnetic exchange coupling observed in the hexanuclear compounds 1.4 H(2)O and 3.4 H(2)O is also discussed using ab initio UHF calculations on a model compound. The value of the exchange coupling constant (3.7 cm(-1)) for this model compound, calculated using the broken symmetry approach, is in good agreement, both in sign and magnitude, with the experimental J values (6.00 cm(-1) for 1.4 H(2)O and 8.54 cm(-1) for 3.4 H(2)O).