Yixian Xiang

Hexadecacobalt(II)-Containing Polyoxometalate-Based Single-Molecule Magnet†

Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a remarkable class of inorganic compounds with enormous structural and compositional diversity and potential applications in various fields, such as catalysis, analytical chemistry, magnetism, nanotechnology, and medicine. In particular lacunary heteropolytungstates of the Keggin and Wells–Dawson type are useful inorganic, diamagnetic ligands allowing for encapsulation of various multinuclear metal-oxo assemblies. Examples of such kinds of structurally, catalytically, and magnetically interesting POMs are the manganese-containing derivative {Mn14W36}, [2a] the iron-containing derivatives {Fe9W12}, [3a] {Fe13W36}, [3b,c] {Fe16W48}, [3d] {Fe28W48}, [3e] the nickel-containing derivatives {Ni9W27}, [4a] {Ni8/Ni9W18}, [4b] {Ni12W35}, [4c] and {Ni20W34}, [4d] and the copper-containing derivatives {Cu14W36} [5a] and {Cu20W48X} (X=Cl, Br, I). [5b,c] Some transition-metal-containing polyoxomolybdates are also known, such as {Fe30Mo72}, [6a] {V30Mo72}, [6b] as well as {Co16Mo16} (two types of structures containing 16 cobalt centers, in the form of four tetramers). The class of cobalt-containing POMs was pioneered by Baker and Pope. Meanwhile a large number of POMbased Co complexes with nuclearities ranging from 2 to 16 has been reported. Our group has reported a nona-cobaltcontaining polyanion capped by six antenna-like Co ions in the solid state, as well as several polytungstates containing smaller numbers of cobalt ions. Very recently it was shown that [Co4(H2O)2(PW9O34)2] 10 [9a] is a hydrolytically and oxidatively stable homogeneous water-oxidation catalyst. During the past decade many high-nuclearity transitionmetal-based coordination complexes with interesting electronic and magnetic properties have been prepared. Some cobalt derivatives with nuclearities ranging from 2 to 32 are also known. It is a challenge to encapsulate high-nuclearity magnetic cores in diamagnetic POM shells, in particular by using conventional, soft synthesis methods. We have now succeeded in preparing the tetrameric 36-tungsto-8-phosphate [{Co4(OH)3PO4}4(PW9O34)4] 28 (1), containing 16 cobalt(II) centers (Figure 1).

Synthesis, magnetism, and electrochemistry of the Ni14- and Ni5-containing heteropolytungstates [Ni14(OH)6(H2O)10(HPO4)4(P2W15O56)4]34- and [Ni5(OH)4(H2O)4(β-GeW9O34)(β-GeW8O30(OH))]13-.

The two Ni(2+)-containing heteropolytungstates [Ni14(OH)6(H2O)10(HPO4)4(P2W15O56)4](34-) (Ni14) and [Ni5(OH)4(H2O)4(β-GeW9O34)(β-GeW8O30(OH))](13-) (Ni5) have been successfully synthesized in aqueous, basic media under conventional reaction conditions, and they were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and elemental analyses, electrochemistry, and magnetic studies. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) patterns of Ni14 and Ni5 showed chemically reversible multielectronic waves for slow scan time scales. For Ni14, an important acidity inversion effect between its reduced forms was observed. Magnetic studies revealed dominant ferromagnetic interactions among the nickel(II) ions in both polyanions.

Alkaline Earth Guests in Polyoxopalladate Chemistry: From Nanocube to Nanostar via an Open‐Shell Structure

The three novel, discrete palladium(II)-oxo clusters [CaPd12O8(PhAsO3)8](6-) (CaPd12), [SrPd12O6(OH)3(PhAsO3)6(OAc)3](4-) (SrPd12), and [BaPd15O10(PhAsO3)10](8-) (BaPd15) encapsulating alkaline earth metal ions were prepared and fully characterized by a multitude of solution and solid-state physicochemical techniques. We have discovered a structure-directing template effect induced by the respective size of the alkaline earth guest ion, which determines the detailed condensation arrangement of the peripheral Pd(II)-oxo shell. The unprecedented SrPd12 with an open-shell type structure is of particular importance and reflects a successful strategy for deliberate design of new structural classes of polyoxo-noble-metalates. Furthermore, the unusual acetate-water ligand exchange phenomenon renders SrPd12 as a promising candidate for noble-metal-based catalysis.

The selenite-capped polyoxo-4 aurate(III), [Ausup(I)sup(I)sup(I)₄O₄(Sesup(I)sup(V)O₃)₄]⁴⁻

The discrete heteropolyaurate [Au(III)(4)O(4)(Se(IV)O(3))(4)](4-) (Au(4)Se(4)) represents only the second member of this class ever reported, and was synthesized via one-pot room temperature condensation in aqueous medium. was structurally characterized in the solid state and in solution by single-crystal XRD, TGA, FT-IR, (77)Se NMR, mass spectrometry and electrochemistry.

Tetradecanuclear iron(III)-oxo nanoclusters stabilized by trilacunary heteropolyanions

The tetrameric, multi-Fe(III)-containing polyoxotungstates [Fe14O6(OH)13(P2W15O56)4](31-) (1) and [Na2Fe14(OH)12(PO4)4(A-α-XW9O34)4](20-) (X = Si(IV) (2), Ge(IV) (3)) have been successfully synthesized under conventional reaction conditions in aqueous, slightly acidic (1), or basic (2 and 3) media. Polyanions 1-3 were characterized in the solid state by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and magnetic studies, and in solution by electrochemistry.

Discrete Silver(I)‐Palladium(II)‐Oxo Nanoclusters, {Ag4Pd13} and {Ag5Pd15}, and the Role of Metal–Metal Bonding Induced by Cation Confinement

We introduce the class of discrete silver(I)-palladium(II)-oxo nanoclusters with the preparation of {Ag4 Pd13 } and {Ag5 Pd15 }. Both polyanions represent the first examples of noble metal-capped polyoxo-noble-metalates in a fully inorganic assembly, featuring an unprecedented host-guest mode containing hetero- and homometallic Ag-Pd and Ag-Ag bonding interactions. Comprehensive theoretical calculations suggest that the Ag-Pd metallic bonds originate partially from surface confinement of AgI guest ions onto the anionic polyoxopalladate host that is induced by strong electrostatic forces. This work opens the field of fully inorganic silver-palladium-oxo nanoclusters, which can be considered as discrete mixed noble metal precursors for the formation of monodisperse core-shell nanoparticles, with high relevance for catalysis.

Heptanickel(II) double-cubane core in wells-dawson heteropolytungstate, [Ni₇(OH)₆(H₂O)₆(P₂W₁₅O₅₆)₂]¹⁶⁻

The hepta-Ni(2+)-containing 30-tungsto-4-phosphate(v) [Ni7(OH)6(H2O)6(P2W15O56)2](16-) (1) has been synthesized in aqueous, slightly basic medium under conventional reaction conditions, and charactarized via different physical methods. Single-crystal XRD showed that 1 consists of a corner-fused double-cubane {Ni7(OH)6(H2O)6}(8+) fragment sandwiched by two trilacunary [P2W15O56](12-) units. Polyanion 1 is solution-stable as shown by (31)P NMR. Ferromagnetic coupling interaction between the 7 paramagnetic centers of the double-cubane core in 1 with a S = 7 ground state was demonstrated. Electrochemical studies were also performed on 1.