Abstract:The role that histidyl, seryl, tyrosyl, and other side chains of small peptides play in the formation of vanadate complexes has been investigated using 'H, I3c, and "V nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Formation constants of product complexes in aqueous solution have been determined and the influence of pH on the equilibria established. The results revealed that, in histidine-containing compounds, the protonation state of the imidazole ring of the free ligand strongly influences product formation. The results unequivocally showed that no vanadium-to-imidazole bond was formed for any of the histidine-containing complexes studied. However, imidazole and other aromatic side-chain residues have an effect on product stability via their influence on the protonation state (pK,) of the products. Aliphatic side-chains, such as those in asparagine or glutamate, do not appear to play a significant role in the formation of products. This is not true, however, of serine or threonine where the side-chains readily generate vanadium-oxygen bonds.