Several polymetallic anionic clusters display a strong tendency to form robust ion-pairs with appropriate counter cations. We have isolated decavanadate cluster [H2V10O28]4– with, hitherto unreported, dimethylammonium ions, [N(CH3)2H2]4+ as counter cations from vanadyl sulfate and N,N'-dimethylformamide (DMF). It is proposed, for the first time, that dimethylammonium ions are formed by reduction and simultaneous decarboxylation of DMF with oxidation of vanadyl sulfate occurring concomitantly

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... er specified reaction conditions. The different colors observed during the course of the reaction are monitored by UV-Visible spectrophotometry. The structure of isolated cluster compound with four counter cations is confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The compound is also tested for its DNA/BSA binding efficacy and cytotoxicity on human epitheloid cervix carcinoma (HeLa) cells along with vanadates—vanadium pentoxide and ammonium metavanadate. Based on the results, the cluster shows better IC50 and binding values than vanadates.