The reaction of potassium molybdate(vi) with biologically relevant ligands, citric and malic acids, in the presence of H2O2 was investigated for the effect of pH variations on the product pattern. That with citric acid led to the formation of the monomeric complex K-4[MoO(O-2)(2)(cit)].4H(2)O (1) in the pH range 7-9, and dimer K-5[MoO(O-2)(2)(Hcit)H(Hcit)(O-2)(2)OMo].6H(2)O (2) (H(4)cit = citric acid) at pH 3-6 through carboxylate-carboxylic acid hydrogen bonding. The relation with the previously identified K-4[MoO3(cit)].2H(2)O (4) and K-4[Mo2O5(Hcit)(2)].4H(2)O (5) were shown. These and other intermediates were shown to react in the pH range 3-6 to give a more stable species 2; the reaction sequence was demonstrated either by the protonation from 1 or the deprotonation of [MoO(O-2)(2)(H(2)cit)](2-)(8). Evidence that 2 exists as a dimer in solution is presented. The reaction with (S)-malic acid afforded Delta-K-2n[MoO(O-2)(2)((S)-Hmal)](n).nH(2)O (3) (H(3)mal = malic acid) that was oxidized further to oxalato molybdate (11) by H2O2. The three complexes 1-3 were characterized by elemental analysis, UV, IR and NMR spectroscopies, in addition to the X-ray structural studies that show citrate and malate being coordinated as bidentate ligands via alpha-alkoxyl and alpha-carboxylate groups. The formation of these complexes is dictated by pH and their thermal stabilities varied with the coordinated hydroxycarboxylate ligands
