Abstract
Salts of the heteropolyanions PCoIIW11O40H2 5–, AsCoIIW11O40H2 5–, BCoIIW11O40H2 7–, BCoIIIW11O40H2 6–, and PZnW11O40H2 5– have been prepared. In the case of the first four and of PNiIIW11O40H2 5– there is spectroscopic evidence that the constitutional water is present as an actual water molecule and is replaceable by, e.g., a molecule of pyridine or a substituted pyridine. Replacement of water is fast for the cobalt(II) complexes and slow for BCoIIIW11O40H2 6–. Some crystalline salts of derivatives such as PCoII(C5H5N)W11O39 5– have been prepared. The diffuse reflectance spectra of the cobalt(II) complexes are cation-dependent in the 17,000–20,000 cm–1 region. Salts whose reflectance and solution spectra differ markedly are dichroic; distortion of the CoO6 chromophore by crystal packing is accompanied by preferential orientation of the heteropolyanion. Such salts should be suitable for X-ray studies of the detailed structure of the anion.