Premium
Reduced Molybenum‐Oxide‐Based Core–Shell Hybrids: “Blue” Electrons Are Delocalized on the Shell
Author(s) -
Todea Ana Maria,
Szakács Julia,
Konar Sanjit,
Bögge Hartmut,
Crans Debbie C.,
Glaser Thorsten,
Rousselière Hélène,
Thouvenot René,
Gouzerh Pierre,
Müller Achim
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201003260
Subject(s) - delocalized electron , chemistry , dissolution , aqueous solution , molybdate , crystallography , electron paramagnetic resonance , monoclinic crystal system , oxide , iron oxide , absorption spectroscopy , sodium molybdate , spectroscopy , inorganic chemistry , materials science , crystal structure , nuclear magnetic resonance , organic chemistry , physics , quantum mechanics
Abstract The present study refers to a variety of reduced metal‐oxide core–shell hybrids, which are unique with regard to their electronic structure, their geometry, and their formation. They contain spherical {Mo 72 Fe 30 } Keplerate‐type shells encapsulating Keggin‐type polyoxomolybdates based on very weak interactions. Studies on the encapsulation of molybdosilicate as well as on the earlier reported molybdophosphate, coupled with the use of several physical methods for the characterization led to unprecedented results (see title). Upon standing in air at room temperature, acidified aqueous solutions obtained by dissolving sodium molybdate, iron(II) chloride, acetic acid, and molybdosilicic acid led to the precipitation of monoclinic greenish crystals ( 1 ). A rhombohedral variant ( 2 ) has also been observed. Upon drying at room temperature, compound 3 with a layer structure was obtained from 1 in a solid‐state reaction based on cross‐linking of the shells. The compounds 1 , 2 , and 3 have been characterized by a combination of methods including single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography, magnetic studies, as well as IR, Mössbauer, (resonance) Raman, and electronic absorption spectroscopy. In connection with detailed studies of the guest‐free two‐electron‐reduced {Mo 72 Fe 30 }‐type Keplerate ( 4 ) and of the previously reported molybdophosphate‐based hybrids (including 31 P NMR spectroscopy results), it is unambiguously proved that 1 , 2 , and 3 contain non‐reduced Keggin ion cores and reduced {Mo 72 Fe 30 }‐type shells. The results are discussed in terms of redox considerations (the shell as well as the core can be reduced) including those related to the reduction of “molybdates” by Fe II being of interdisciplinary including catalytic interest (the Mo VI /Mo V and Fe III /Fe II couples have very close redox potentials!), while also referring to the special formation of the hybrids based on chemical Darwinism.