The paper describes the syntheses and characterisation of a group of oxo-vanadium (IV) complexes of (a) bidenate, monobasic Schiff bases and of (b) quadridentate, dibasic Schiff bases. The complexes are 5 co-ordinate, paramagnetic (1.54-1.85 B.M.) and show vanadyl stretching frequency at 989\(\pm\)39 cm-1 and coordinated C = N stretching at 1617\(\pm\)17 cm-1. Bidentate Schiff bases derived from arylamines provide a weaker ligand field than those of the alkyldmines. Square pyramidal structure is indicated in solid state and in chloroform. In pyridine all bands move to higher energy. The d-orbital ordering \(d\)\(xy\) < \(d\)\(xz\), \(d\)\(yz\) < \(d\)\(x\)2_\(y\)2 < \(d\)\(z\)2 has been preferred to an alternative \(d\)\(xy\) < \(d\)\(x\)2_\(y\)2 < \(d\)\(xz\), \(d\)\(yz\) < \(d\)x2. The complexes of the quadridentate Schiff bases give comparable spectra in solid state, in chloroform and in pyridine. This failure to add, a sixth ligand has been interpreted as the result of saturation in the acceptor ability of oxo-vanadium (IV) due to strong a-donation by the equatorial ligands.