Physicochemical studies on two oxovanadium(IV) heterochelates involving the biologically active ONO donor ligand, dipicolinic acid (DPA) is reported. Structure of the complex [VO(DPA)(ophen)] 3H 2 O has been determined and this led to the understanding of the geometry of the donor sites around the oxovanadium(IV) centre of other related complexes. Electrochemical behavior of the complexes were explored by cyclic voltammetry.