A new Keggin-like niobium-phosphate cluster that reacts reversibly with hydrogen peroxide

Jung-Ho Son, William H. Casey
2015 Chemical Communications  
Solid niobium phosphate (NbOPO4·xH2O) is well known as a biomass-conversion catalyst, yet the chemical pathways are unclear. Here we report solution chemistry of a new niobophosphate cluster [H3Nb9P5O41]9− that reacts with H2O2 to form peroxo-Nb4P2, and this reaction can be reversed by hydrothermal treatment. We suggest that this cluster is a useful molecular model for the solid.
doi:10.1039/c5cc03782d pmid:26133686 fatcat:tfb5zzwftng4din6evme7fk3cy