Adsorption and Catalytic Properties of the Inner Nanospace of a Gigantic Ring-Shaped Polyoxometalate Cluster

Formation of Molybdenum Blue Nanoparticles in the Organic Reducing Area

Molybdenum blue dispersions were synthesized by reducing an acidic molybdate solution with glucose, hydroquinone and ascorbic acid. The influence of the H/Mo molar ratio on the rate of formation of molybdenum particles was established. For each reducing agent, were determined the rate constant and the order of the particle formation and were established the conditions for the formation of aggregative stable dispersion with the maximum concentration of particles. The dispersed phase is represented by toroidal molybdenum oxide nanoclusters, which was confirmed by the results of UV/Vis, FTIR, XPS spectroscopy and DLS.

Beyond Charge Balance: Counter-Cations in Polyoxometalate Chemistry

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are molecular metal-oxide anions applied in energy conversion and storage, manipulation of biomolecules, catalysis, as well as materials design and assembly. Although often overlooked, the interplay of intrinsically anionic POMs with organic and inorganic cations is crucial to control POM self-assembly, stabilization, solubility, and function. Beyond simple alkali metals and ammonium, chemically diverse cations including dendrimers, polyvalent metals, metal complexes, amphiphiles, and alkaloids allow tailoring properties for known applications, and those yet to be discovered. This review provides an overview of fundamental POM-cation interactions in solution, the resulting solid-state compounds, and behavior and properties that emerge from these POM-cation interactions. We will explore how application-inspired research has exploited cation-controlled design to discover new POM materials, which in turn has led to the quest for fundamental understanding of POM-cation interactions.

Sequential Isomerization of a Macrocyclic Polyoxometalate Archetype

Controlled isomerization of individual {α-P₂W₁₂O₄₈} polyoxotungstate building blocks under the constricted conditions of the macrocyclic [P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄]^40- archetype ({P₈W₄₈}) is linked to site-specific Cu^II coordination. The derivatives [αγαγ-P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄{Cu(H₂O)}₂]^36- (1), [γγγγ-P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄{Cu(H₂O)_0.5}₄]^32- (2), and [αγγγ-P₈W₄₈O₁₈₄{Cu(H₂O)}₃]^34- (3) feature the {αγαγ-P₈W₄₈} and the hitherto unknown {γγγγ-P₈W₄₈} and {αγγγ-P₈W₄₈} isomers based on {α-P₂W₁₂} and/or Cu^II-stabilized {γ-P₂W₁₂} units and form from the reactions of the classical {P₈W₄₈} (={αααα-P₈W₄₈}) and CuCl₂ in sodium acetate medium (pH 5.2). All products were thoroughly characterized in both the solid state and aqueous solutions, including electrocatalysis assessments.

All-Inorganic Ionic Porous Material Based on Giant Spherical Polyoxometalates Containing Core-Shell K6 @K36 -Water Cage

This work demonstrates that the use of high-negative and high-symmetry lacunary polyoxometalates (POMs) for the clustering of alkali metal ions is a feasible strategy not only for the formation of rare high-nuclearity alkali-metal clusters but also for the construction of new-type all-inorganic ionic porous materials. By the strategy, an unprecedented high-nuclearity K-H₂ O cluster {K₄₂ (H₂ O)₆₀ } with core-shell K₆ @K₃₆ configuration is stabilized by 8 C_3v -symmetry trivacant POMs [GeW₉ O₃₄ ]^10- , forming a novel giant ionic alkali-metal-POM composite cluster {K₄₂ Ge₈ W₇₂ O₂₇₂ (H₂ O)₆₀ } with more than 100 metal centers. The incorporated 42-nuclearity K-H₂ O cluster {K₄₂ (H₂ O)₆₀ } exhibits the highest-nuclearity alkali-metal-water cluster known to date in POM chemistry. Further, the giant {K₄₂ Ge₈ W₇₂ O₂₇₂ (H₂ O)₆₀ } clusters can be linked by another kind of alkali metal ions Na⁺ to generate a fascinating three-dimensional all-inorganic ionic porous framework with high chemical stability, proton conductivity, and water vapor adsorption.

Controlling the dispersion of supported polyoxometalate heterogeneous catalysts: impact of hybridization and the role of hydrophilicity-hydrophobicity balance and supramolecularity

The hybridization of polyoxometalates (POMs) through an organic-inorganic association offers several processing advantages in the design of heterogeneous catalysts. A clear understanding of the organization of these hybrid materials on solid surfaces is necessary to optimise their properties. Herein, we report for the first time the organization of Keggin phosphotungstic [PW12O40](3-) and Wells-Dawson (WD) phosphomolybdic [P2Mo18O62](6-) anions deposited on mica (hydrophilic), and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) (hydrophobic) surfaces. Next, the supramolecular organization of the organic-inorganic hybrid materials formed from the association of POM anions and dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DODA) is investigated as a function of the hydrophilic or hydrophobic nature of the surfaces. The height of the Keggin-POM anions, measured with tapping mode (TM-AFM) is always in good agreement with the molecular dimension of symmetric Keggin-POM anions (ca. 1 nm). However, the asymmetric WD-POM anions form monolayer assemblies on the surfaces with the orientation of their long molecular axis (ca. 1.6 nm) depending on the hydrophilic or hydrophobic properties of the substrate. Namely, the long axis is parallel on mica, and perpendicular on HOPG. When hybridized with DODA, the organization of the hybrid material is dictated by the interaction of the alkyl side chains of DODA with the substrate surface. On HOPG, the DODA-POM hybrid forms small domains of epitaxially arranged straight nanorod structures with their orientation parallel to each other. Conversely, randomly distributed nanospheres are formed when the hybrid material is deposited on freshly cleaved mica. Finally, a UV-ozone treatment of the hybrid material allows one to obtain highly dispersed isolated POM entities on both hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces. The hybridization strategy to prevent the clustering of POMs on various supports would enable to develop highly dispersed POM-based heterogeneous catalysts with enhanced functionalities.

Hybrid surfactant systems with inorganic constituents

Surfactants are molecules of enormous scientific and technological importance, which are widely used as detergents, emulsifiers, and for the preparation of diverse nanostructures. Their fascinating ability to form self-organized structures, such as micelles or liquid crystals, originate from their amphiphilic architecture-a polar head group linked to a hydrophobic chain. While almost all known surfactants are organic, a new family of surfactants is now emerging, which combines amphiphilic properties with the advanced functionality of transition-metal building blocks, for example, redox or catalytic activity and magnetism. These hybrid surfactants exhibit novel self-organization features because of the unique size and electronic properties of the metal-containing entities.

Supramolecular organization in organic-inorganic heterogeneous hybrid catalysts formed from polyoxometalate and poly(ampholyte) polymer

Hybridization of polyoxometalates (POMs) via the formation of an organic-inorganic association constitutes a new route to develop a heterogeneous POM catalyst with tunable functionality imparted through supramolecular assembly. Herein, we report on strategies to obtain tunable well-defined supramolecular architectures of an organic-inorganic heterogeneous hybrid catalyst formed by the association of a hydrophobically substituted polyampholyte copolymer (poly N, N-diallyl-N-hexylamine-alt-maleic acid) and phosphotungstic acid (H3PW12O40) POMs. The self-assembling property of the initial polyampholyte copolymer matrix is modulated by controlling the pH of the hybridization solution. When deposited on a mica surface, isolated, long and extended polymer chains are formed under basic conditions (pH 7.9), while globular or coiled structures are formed under acidic conditions (pH 2). The supramolecular assembly of the POM-polymer hybrid is found to be directed by the type and quantities of charges present on the polyampholyte copolymer, which themselves depend on the pH conditions. The hypothesis is that the Keggin type [PW12O40](3-) anions, which have a size of ~1 nm, electrostatically bind to the positive charge sites of the polymer backbone. The hybrid material stabilized at pH 5.3 consists of POM-decorated polymer chains. Statistical analysis of distances between pairs of POM entities show narrow density distributions, suggesting that POM entities are attached to the polymer chains with a high level of order. Conversely, under acidic conditions (pH 2), the hybrid shows the formation of a core-shell type of structure. The strategies reported here, to tune the supramolecular assembly of organic-inorganic hybrid materials, are highly valuable for the design and a more rational utilization of POM heterogeneous catalysts in several chemical transformations.