We report a detailed analysis of the electronic structure and results of molecular dynamics simulations for the large polyoxomolybdate [H3Mo57V6(NO)6O183(H2O)18]21- (Mo57V6) which is a highly symmetric anion with a complex electronic structure and exhibiting a unique variety of multifunctionality. The six vanadium centres are reduced with one electron each, the six Mo centres are bonded to non-innocent NO ligands and the additional six 4d electrons are mostly delocalised over the rest of molybdenum atoms. DFT calculations carried out with the solvent – modelled by a continuum approach – suggest that despite the large charge of the anion, the Mo57V6 framework can be easily reduced in polar solvents. Furthermore, the Mo57V6 cluster has 18 water molecules trapped in its internal cavity. Molecular dynamics simulations carried out with different solvent conditions suggest that the water molecules inside the cavity have a high ordered structure over a wide range of temperatures and give important information about the cluster anion interactions with the cations present in solution. The obtained results allow a better understanding of related properties of the giant ball-shaped polyoxometalates/Keplerates as the present cluster contains similar building blocks – like the (metal)6O6 type pores with crown ether-like structure.
Electronic structure and surface properties of the mixed-valence doughnut shaped polyoxomolybdate nanocapsule Mo57V6
Inorg. Chim. Acta 2010, 363, 4368-4373.