The Schiff base N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylideneiminato) (H(2)pyr(2)en, 1) was synthesized by reaction of pyridoxal with ethylenediamine; reduction of H(2)pyr(2)en with NaBH(4) yielded the reduced Schiff base N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylaminato) (H(2)Rpyr(2)en, 2); their crystal structures were determined by X-ray diffraction. The totally protonated forms of 1 and 2 correspond to H(6)L(4+), and all protonation constants were determined by pH-potentiometric and (1)H NMR titrations. Several vanadium(IV) and vanadium(V) complexes of these and other related ligands were prepared and characterized in solution and in the solid state. The X-ray crystal structure of [V(V)O(2)(HRpyr(2)en)] shows the metal in a distorted octahedral geometry, with the ligand coordinated through the N-amine and O-phenolato moieties, with one of the pyridine-N atoms protonated. Crystals of [(V(V)O(2))(2)(pyren)(2)].2 H(2)O were obtained from solutions containing H(2)pyr(2)en and oxovanadium(IV), where Hpyren is the "half" Schiff base of pyridoxal and ethylenediamine. The complexation of V(IV)O(2+) and V(V)O(2) (+) with H(2)pyr(2)en, H(2)Rpyr(2)en and pyridoxamine in aqueous solution were studied by pH-potentiometry, UV/Vis absorption spectrophotometry, as well as by EPR spectroscopy for the V(IV)O systems and (1)H and (51)V NMR spectroscopy for the V(V)O(2) systems. Very significant differences in the metal-binding abilities of the ligands were found. Both 1 and 2 act as tetradentate ligands. H(2)Rpyr(2)en is stable to hydrolysis and several isomers form in solution, namely cis-trans type complexes with V(IV)O, and alpha-cis- and beta-cis-type complexes with V(V)O(2). The pyridinium-N atoms of the pyridoxal rings do not take part in the coordination but are involved in acid-base reactions that affect the number, type, and relative amount of the isomers of the V(IV)O-H(2)Rpyr(2)en and V(V)O(2)-H(2)Rpyr(2)en complexes present in solution. DFT calculations were carried out and support the formation and identification of the isomers detected by EPR or NMR spectroscopy, and the strong equatorial and axial binding of the O-phenolato in V(IV)O and V(V)O(2) complexes. Moreover, the DFT calculations done for the [V(IV)O(H(2)Rpyr(2)en)] system indicate that for almost all complexes the presence of a sixth equatorial or axial H(2)O ligand leads to much more stable compounds.