POMFinder: identifying polyoxometallate cluster structures from pair distribution function data using explainable machine learning

Characterization of a material structure with pair distribution function (PDF) analysis typically involves refining a structure model against an experimental data set, but finding or constructing a suitable atomic model for PDF modelling can be an extremely labour-intensive task, requiring carefully browsing through large numbers of possible models. Presented here is POMFinder, a machine learning (ML) classifier that rapidly screens a database of structures, here polyoxometallate (POM) clusters, to identify candidate structures for PDF data modelling. The approach is shown to identify suitable POMs from experimental data, including in situ data collected with fast acquisition times. This automated approach has significant potential for identifying suitable models for structure refinement to extract quantitative structural parameters in materials chemistry research. POMFinder is open source and user friendly, making it accessible to those without prior ML knowledge. It is also demonstrated that POMFinder offers a promising modelling framework for combined modelling of multiple scattering techniques.

Photocatalytic remediation of organic waste over Keggin-based polyoxometalate materials: A review

Photocatalytic remediation of industrial water pollution has courted intense attention lately due to its touted green approach. In this respect, Keggin-based polyoxometalates (POMs) as green solid acids in photocatalytic reaction possess superior qualities, viz. unique photoinduced charge-transfer properties, strong photooxidative-photoreductive ability, high chemical and thermal stability, and so forth. Unfortunately, it suffers from a large bandgap energy, low specific surface area, low recoverability, and scarce utilization in narrow absorption range. Therefore, the pollutant degradation performance is not satisfactory. Consequently, multifarious research to enhance the photocatalytic performance of Keggin-based POMs were reported, viz. via novel modifications and functionalizations through a variety of materials, inclusive of, inter alia, metal oxides, transition metals, noble metals, and others. In order to advocate this emerging technology, current review work provides a systematic overview on recent advancement, initiated from the strategized synthetic methods, followed by hierarchical enhancement and intensification process, at the same time emphasizes on the fundamental working principles of Keggin-based POM nanocomposites. By reviewing and summarizing the efforts adopted global-wide, this review is ended with providing useful outlooks for future studies. It is also anticipated to shed light on producing Keggin-based POM nanocomposites with breakthrough visible- and solar-light-driven photocatalytic performance against recalcitrant organic waste.

Three Zr(IV)-Substituted Polyoxotungstate Aggregates: Structural Transformation from Tungstoantimonate to Tungstophosphate Induced by pH

Three novel Zr-substituted polyoxotungstate aggregates [H₂N(CH₃)₂]₇NaH₂[Zr₂Sb₂O₃(A-α-PW₉O₃₄)₂]·16H₂O (1), [H₂N(CH₃)₂]₆H₁₂[ZrSb₄(OH)O₂(A-α-PW₈O₃₂)(A-α-PW₉O₃₄)]₂·33H₂O (2), and [H₂N(CH₃)₂]₄Na_11.5H_4.5[Zr₄W₈Sb₄P₅O₄₉(OH)₅(B-α-SbW₉O₃₃)₂]·53H₂O (3) have been made in hydrothermal reactions of the [B-α-SbW₉O₃₃]^9- precursor with Zr⁴⁺ cations and PO₄^3- anions in the presence of dimethylamine hydrochloride and sodium acetate buffer (pH = 4.8) and structurally characterized. Different pH values induce structural transformation from tungstoantimonate (TA) to tungstophosphate (TP). 1 is a di-Zr-substituted sandwich-type TP, the tetranuclear heterometallic [Zr₂Sb₂O₃]⁸⁺ entity sandwiched by two [A-α-PW₉O₃₄]^9- moieties. 2 is a double sandwich-type structure, which can be perceived as two equivalent sandwiched [Sb₃(PW₈O₃₂)(PW₉O₃₄)]^11- further sandwiching one [Sb₂Zr₂(OH)₂O₄]⁴⁺ core to form a novel large-size sandwich-type architecture. Different from 1 and 2, 3 is a tetra-Zr-substituted sandwiched configuration, in which two [B-α-SbW₉O₃₃]^9- fragments sandwich a unique 21-core Sb-P-W-Zr oxo cluster ({Zr₄W₈Sb₄P₅}). Furthermore, the catalytic oxidation of aromatic thioethers by 3 as the heterogeneous catalyst has been investigated, showing high conversion and remarkable selectivity as well as excellent recyclability.

Lanthanide-Containing 22-Tungsto-2-germanates [Ln(GeW11O39)2]13-: Synthesis, Structure, and Magnetic Properties

We report on the synthesis and structural characterization of two series of lanthanide-containing 22-tungsto-2-germanates. The first series corresponds to a family of polyanions with the formula [Ln(β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉)₂]^13- (Ln^III = La (1), Ce (2), Pr (3), Nd (4), Sm (5), Gd (6), Dy (7)), and the second series corresponds to a family with the formula [Ln(β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉)(α-GeW₁₁O₃₉)]^13- (Ln^III = Ho (8), Er (9), Tm (10)). All compounds were characterized in the solid state by single-crystal and powder XRD, IR, TGA, and SQUID magnetometry. The polyanions were synthesized in aqueous medium by direct reaction of the monolacunary [β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉]^8- POM precursor with the corresponding lanthanide salts. The structure of the polyanions consists of an 8-coordinated lanthanide ion in a square-antiprismatic geometry, which is sandwiched either between two [β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉]^8- units for 1-7 or between a [β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉]^8- and a [α-GeW₁₁O₃₉]^8- unit for 8-10. Furthermore, the effect of the central paramagnetic lanthanide ion on the magnetic behavior of the polyanions was investigated, with the erbium-derivative [Er(β₂-GeW₁₁O₃₉)(α-GeW₁₁O₃₉)]^13- (9) showing single-molecule magnet (SMM) behavior.

A new tetra-Zr(iv)-substituted polyoxotungstate aggregate

A new tetra-Zr(iv)-substituted tungstophosphate [H₂N(CH₃)₂]₆Na₆H₈{Zr₂[SbP₂W₄(OH)₂O₂₁][α₂-PW₁₀O₃₈]}₂·50H₂O has been made and structurally characterized. Its electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties have also been investigated.

Tetra-Antimony(III)-Bridged 18-Tungsto-2-Arsenates(V), [(LSb(III))4(A-α-As(V)W9O34)2](10-) (L = Ph, OH): Turning Bioactivity On and Off by Ligand Substitution

Two tetra-antimony(III)-bridged, sandwich-type 18-tungsto-2-arsenates(V), [(LSb(III))4(A-α-As(V)W9O34)2](10-) (L = Ph (1), OH (2)), were prepared and fully characterized in the solid state and in solution. Both polyanions are stable in aqueous physiological medium for at least 24 h (at concentrations ≥2.5 × 10(-6) M). Despite the presence of an isostructural tetra-antimony(III) motif in 1 and 2, distinctly different antibacterial activity was observed for both polyanions. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 1 (7.8-62.5 μg/mL) is lower than for any other organoantimony(III)-containing polyoxometalate reported to date.

19-Tungstodiarsenate(III) Functionalized by Organoantimony(III) Groups: Tuning the Structure-Bioactivity Relationship

A family of three discrete organoantimony(III)-functionalized heteropolyanions-[Na{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}As(III)2W19O67(H2O)](10-) (1), [{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}2As(III)2W19O67(H2O)](8-) (2), and [{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}{WO2(H2O)}{WO(H2O)}2(B-β-As(III)W8O30)(B-α-As(III)W9O33)2](14-) (3)-have been prepared by one-pot reactions of the 19-tungstodiarsenate(III) precursor [As(III)2W19O67(H2O)](14-) with 2-(Me2NCH2)C6H4SbCl2. The three novel polyanions crystallized as the hydrated mixed-alkali salts Cs3KNa6[Na{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}As(III)2W19O67(H2O)]·43H2O (CsKNa-1), Rb2.5K5.5[{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}2As(III)2W19O67(H2O)]·18H2O·Me2NCH2C6H5 (RbK-2), and Rb2.5K11.5[{2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)}{WO2(H2O)}{WO(H2O)}2(B-β-As(III)W8O30)(B-α-As(III)W9O33)2]·52H2O (RbK-3), respectively. The number of incorporated {2-(Me2HN(+)CH2)C6H4Sb(III)} units could be tuned by careful control of the experimental parameters. Polyanions 1 and 2 possess a dimeric sandwich-type topology, whereas 3 features a trimeric, wheel-shaped structure, representing the largest organoantimony-containing polyanion. All three compounds were fully characterized in the solid state via single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis, and their aqueous solution stability was validated by ultraviolet-visible light (UV-vis) and multinuclear ((1)H, (13)C, and (183)W) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Effective inhibition against six different types of bacteria was observed for 1 and 2, and we could extract a structure-bioactivity relationship for these polyanions.

Organoantimony(III)-Containing Tungstoarsenates(III): From Controlled Assembly to Biological Activity

A family of three sandwich-type, phenylantimony(III)-containing tungstoarsenates(III), [(PhSb(III) ){Na(H2 O)}As(III) 2 W19 O67 (H2 O)](11-) (1), [(PhSb(III) )2 As(III) 2 W19 O67 (H2 O)](10-) (2), and [(PhSb(III) )3 (B-α-As(III) W9 O33 )2 ](12-) (3), have been synthesized by one-pot procedures and isolated as hydrated alkali metal salts, Cs3 K3.5 Na4.5 [(PhSb(III) ){Na(H2 O)}As(III) 2 W19 O67 (H2 O)]⋅41H2 O (CsKNa-1), Cs4.5 K5.5 [(PhSb(III) )2 As(III) 2 W19 O67 (H2 O)]⋅35H2 O (CsK-2), and Cs4.5 Na7.5 [(PhSb(III) )3 (B-α-As(III) W9 O33 )2 ]⋅42H2 O (CsNa-3). The number of incorporated {PhSb(III) } units could be selectively tuned from one to three by careful control of the reaction parameters. The three compounds were characterized in the solid state by single-crystal XRD, IR spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The aqueous solution stability of sandwich polyanions 1-3 was also studied by multinuclear ((1) H, (13) C, (183) W) NMR spectroscopy. Effective inhibitory activity against six different kinds of bacteria was identified for all three polyanions, for which the activity increased with the number of incorporated {PhSb(III) } groups.

Synthesis and biological activity of organoantimony(III)-containing heteropolytungstates

Three discrete organoantimony(III)-containing heteropolytungstates [(PhSb(III))(4)(A-α-Ge(IV)W(9)O(34))(2)](12-) (1), [(PhSb(III))(4)(A-α-P(V)W(9)O(34))(2)](10-) (2), and [{2-(Me(2)NCH(2)C(6)H(4))Sb(III)}(3)(B-α-As(III)W(9)O(33))](3-) (3) have been synthesized in one-pot reactions in aqueous medium using the appropriate lacunary heteropolyanion precursor and organoantimony(III) source. Polyanions 1-3 were isolated as hydrated salts, (NH(4))(12)[(PhSb(III))(4)(A-α-Ge(IV)W(9)O(34))(2)]·20H(2)O (1a), Rb(9)Na[(PhSb(III))(4)(A-α-P(V)W(9)O(34))(2)]·20H(2)O (2a), and Rb(3)[{2-(Me(2)NCH(2)C(6)H(4))Sb(III)}(3)(B-α-As(III)W(9)O(33))]·7H(2)O (3a). The compounds 1a-3a were fully characterized in the solid state using infrared (IR) spectroscopy, single-crystal XRD, and thermogravimetric and elemental analyses. The stability of 1-3 in aqueous solution was confirmed by multinuclear NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (31)P, and (183)W) spectroscopy. Preliminary studies on the biological activity of 1-3 showed that all three compounds might act as potent antimicrobial agents.