Soft Matter Approaches for Enhancing the Catalytic Capabilities of Polyoxometalate Clusters

In this minireview, we discuss the recent efforts on expanding the catalytic capabilities of polyoxometalates (POM) through emulsion catalysis approaches with novel catalytic-active POM–organic hybrid clusters as emulsifiers. The hybrid emulsifiers include surfactant encapsulated POM complexes, molecular POMs–organic hybrids, and POM-based solid nanoparticles. With such novel approaches the catalytic efficiency of the POMs can be significantly improved by enhancing the compatibility of the POMs with organic media, providing catalytic interface for biphasic reactions, as well as easier preparation, and better recyclability. Particularly, a simple, green chemistry method to prepare metal nanoparticle materials with POMs as both reducing and capping agents in aqueous is reviewed.