Since vanadyl sulphate has demonstrated insulin-like effects on glucose metabolism in animal and human trials, and organic vanadium complexes are better absorbed by the intestinal tract than vanadyl species, in this work the complexation of oxovanadium(IV) with 2-acetyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione is studied. Kinetic and equilibria in aqueous 1:1 chelation are investigated spectrophotometrically in aqueous solution at 25 degrees C. The mechanism proposed to account for the kinetic data involves a reversible pathway where VO(+2) reacts with the enolate ion of the ligand. From calculated kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, it can be expected that the rates between final and initial monocharged complex concentration could help a better control of the absorption through the lipophilic membranes in the intestinal tract.