Modulation of Surface Reactivity of Large Polyoxometalate Anions

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In this project of the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometalic Chemistry Program, Michael T. Pope of Georgetown University will investigate the chemistry of polyoxometalate species. This research is directed towards developing and controlling the reactivity of metal oxygen cluster anions in polar and nonpolar solvents. Such polyanions are viewed as models of metal oxides and offer possibilities for deeper understanding of the heterogeneous catalytic activity of oxides. Surfaces of large polyoxotungstate(VI) and molybdate(VI) anions containing 12 - 40 metal atoms will be activated by the introduction of lower-valent metal cations and by reduction in certain cases to yield metal-metal bonded cluster domains. These species will be investigated with regard to their atom- and electron-transfer reactivities. %%% Potentially catalytic compounds containing metal ions and oxygen atoms will be developed. These compounds are of interest because they are wholly inorganic, and thus should be quite robust under catalytic conditions. Moreover, because of their large size and variable composition, these compounds provide a wealth of fascinating information about how metal ions "communicate" in close proximity.