Type I Photosensitized Oxidation of Methionine†

Methionine (Met) is an essential sulfur‐containing amino acid, sensitive to oxidation. The oxidation of Met can occur by numerous pathways, including enzymatic modifications and oxidative stress, being able to cause relevant alterations in protein functionality. Under UV radiation, Met may be oxidized by direct absorption (below 250 nm) or by photosensitized reactions. Herein, kinetics of the reaction and identification of products during photosensitized oxidation were analyzed to elucidate the mechanism for the degradation of Met under UV‐A irradiation using pterins, pterin (Ptr) and 6‐methylpterin (Mep), as sensitizers. The process begins with an electron transfer from Met to the triplet‐excited state of the photosensitizer (Ptr or Mep), to yield the corresponding pair of radicals, Met radical cation (Met^?+) and the radical anion of the sensitizer (Sens^??). In air‐equilibrated solutions, Met^?+ incorporates one or two atoms of oxygen to yield methionine sulfoxide (MetO) and methionine sulfone (MetO₂), whereas Sens^?? reacts with O₂ to recover the photosensitizer and generate superoxide anion (O₂^??). In anaerobic conditions, further free‐radical reactions lead to the formation of the corresponding dihydropterin derivatives (H₂Ptr or H₂Mep).     

Ferromagnetism, paramagnetism, and thermally induced magnetism in photomagnetic CrIII/MnII and CrIII oxalates with the 7-methyl-3,3-diphenyl-3H-pyrano[3,2-f]quinolinium cation

Single crystals of the new cationic chromene, 7-methyl-3,3-diphenyl-3H-pyrano[3,2-f-quinolinium iodide (C₂₅H₂₀NO)I (1), were synthesized. The crystal structure of the new compound was studied, and quantum chemical calculation for the open and closed forms were carried out. The bifunctional compounds containing mono- and bimetallic 3d metal (tris)oxalates with the chromenium cation, (C₂₅H₂₀NO)₃[Cr(C₂O₄)₃] · 4H₂O (2) and (C₂₅H₂₀NO)[CrMn(C₂O₄)₃] · H₂O (3), were prepared. Compound 1 is paramagnetic due to low-lying thermally excited states of the chromene molecules. At low temperatures (∼2 K), the paramagnetic states are frozen, and the compound becomes diamagnetic. Compound 2 is paramagnetic and its magnetic properties are determined mainly by the Cr³⁺ ions and the thermally induced paramagnetic states of the chromene molecules. At high temperatures, the magnetic moment of compound 3 consists of the contributions of the paramagnetic Cr³⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions and the thermally induced paramagnetic states of chromenes. At low temperatures (2–3 K), the thermally induced magnetism of organic molecules is frozen, and the magnetically ordered (and, probably, spin-glass) state is observed in the two-dimensional network of metal oxalates (T _c = 3 K in the zero magnetic field). The UV irradiation leads to an increase in the magnetic moment of the compound in the paramagnetic region due to the generation of radiation defects.     

A Facile Method for the Separation of Methionine Sulfoxide Diastereomers,Structural Assignment,and DFT Analysis

Methionine (Met) oxidation is an important biological redox node, with hundreds if not thousands of protein targets. The process yields methionine oxide (MetO). It renders the sulfur chiral, producing two distinct, diastereomerically related products. Despite the biological significance of Met oxidation, a reliable protocol to separate the resultant MetO diastereomers is currently lacking. This hampers our ability to make peptides and proteins that contain stereochemically defined MetO to then study their structural and functional properties. We have developed a facile method that uses supercritical CO₂ chromatography and allows obtaining both diastereomers in purities exceeding 99 %. ¹H NMR spectra were correlated with X-ray structural information. The stereochemical interconversion barrier at sulfur was calculated as 45.2 kcal mol⁻¹, highlighting the remarkable stereochemical stability of MetO sulfur chirality. Our protocol should open the road to synthesis and study of a wide variety of stereochemically defined MetO-containing proteins and peptides.     

Determination of protein-bound methionine oxidation in the hippocampus of adult and old rats by LC-ESI-ITMS method after microwave-assisted proteolysis

Protein-bound methionine (Met) oxidation has been associated with normal aging and a variety of age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Monitoring the changes of protein-bound methionine content in the brain in response to normal aging and oxidative stress is of great interest and could be used as an indicator of oxidative stress of rats in pathological conditions. We have developed a rapid analytical method for the determination of oxidized products of protein-bound methionine in rat brain. The assay involved rapid acid proteolysis with microwave irradiation and solid-phase extraction of the free amino acids followed by LC-ESI-ITMS analysis. Detection was achieved in positive ionization with an ion trap mass spectrometer operating in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. The calibration curves of the analytes were linear (r ² > 0.99) in the range between 0.098 and 1.560 μg/mL. Intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation percentages were <9% and <8%, respectively. The assay performance was sufficient to support a rapid analytical tool for monitoring brain protein-bound methionine oxidation levels. The content of protein-bound Met and methionine sulfoxide (MetO) in the hippocampus of adult and old rats with or without H₂O₂ treatment was determined by employing the new method. The content of protein-bound MetO was significantly increased in old rats after exposure to H₂O₂. This result indicates increased sensitivity to Met oxidation in the hippocampus of old rats.     

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERISATION OF A NEW NIOBATE COMPLEX WITH CHROMIUM(III)

Abstract

A new hexaniobate complex with chromium(III) was prepared and characterised by analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The compound is a violet, non-crystalline solid, formulated as [Cr₂(μ-OH)(H₃Nb₆O₁₉)(en)₃(H₂O)]. It was synthesised in aqueous solution by reaction of [Cr(en)₃]³⁺, en = ethylenediammine, with the hexaniobate anion [Nb₆O₁₉]^8-, at pH 8. Thermal decomposition yielded a mixture of CrNbO₄ and Nb₂O₅. The synthesis of this compound shows that the hexaniobate anion may form complexes at lower pH values than previously reported.     

INFLUENCE OF THE PEPTIDE BOND ON THE SINGLET MOLECULAR OXYGEN-MEDIATED (O2[g]) PHOTOOXIDATION OF HISTIDINE and METHIONINE DIPEPTIDES. A KINETIC STUDY

The dye-sensitized photooxidation of l -histidine (His) and l -methionine (Met) and their simplest dipeptides with glycine (Gly) (His-Gly, Gly-His, Gly-Met) and Met-methyl ester (Met-ME) mediated by singlet molecular oxygen (O₂[_g]) was studied. The overall rate constants in acetonitrile-H₂O (K_t) for O₂(¹_g) quenching were measured by time-resolved phosphorescence detection. In H₂O a competitive kinetic method was employed. In both solvents the reactive rate constants (K_t,) were determined to discriminate between the overall and physical contributions to the quenching. The kinetic and mechanistic aspects of the interaction are discussed. For His-Gly, the peptide bond has practically no effect on the kinetics of photooxidation. For Gly-His the overall rate constant is much higher than that for His and His-Gly, in both H₂O and acetonitrile-H₂O. The main contribution to k₁ (for Gly-His) is the physical quenching of O₂(¹_g)- In water the k_t/k_r ratio for free His and His-Gly is 1.0, reaching a value of 2.0 in the organic solvent-H₂O mixture. The rates of-NH₂ loss upon sensitized photooxidation in all cases parallel the trend of k_r values. The main results for the His series indicate that: (1) a polar environment favors autoprotection (i.e. an increase in the contribution of physical quenching) against photodynamic effects; (2) only the rate constant for reactive interaction with O₂[_g] does not depend on the location of the peptide bond involving His. For Met derivatives the k_t, values are higher in both solvents than that for free Met. Only for the free amino acid in H₂O is the interaction with O₂(¹_g) totally reactive. For Gly-Met and Met-ME the physical quenching prevails: k_t, is, in both solvents, about one order of magnitude higher than k_r. According to our results on -NH₂ loss and on the basis of previous investigations by others, the photooxidative products distribution in the Met series indicates that Gly-Met yields only dehydroMet, whereas Met and Met-ME produce a mixture of Met-sulfoxide and the Met-dehydro compound.     

3,5‐Pyrazole­di­carboxyl­ic acid monohydrate

In the title compound, C₅H₄N₂O₄·H₂O, the 3,5‐pyrazoledicarboxylic acid (H₃pdc) molecules are joined into one‐dimensional chains by O—H?O and N—H?O hydrogen bonds, with distances of 2.671 (2) and 2.776 (2) Å, respectively. The one‐dimensional chains form a three‐dimensional structure via O—H?OW and OW—HW?N hydrogen bonds, with distances of 2.597 (3) and 2.780 (3) Å, respectively. In addition to the potential for forming open‐channel frameworks, access to the six coordination atoms of H₃pdc can be directly controlled by varying the pH of the reaction environment, allowing further control over the design and synthesis of novel coordination polymers using various metal centers.     

Dual Metal Active Sites in an Ir1/FeOx Single-Atom Catalyst: A Redox Mechanism for the Water-Gas Shift Reaction

Herein, we report a theoretical and experimental study of the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction on Ir₁/FeO_x single-atom catalysts. Water dissociates to OH* on the Ir₁ single atom and H* on the first-neighbour O atom bonded with a Fe site. The adsorbed CO on Ir₁ reacts with another adjacent O atom to produce CO₂, yielding an oxygen vacancy (O_vac). Then, the formation of H₂ becomes feasible due to migration of H from adsorbed OH* toward Ir₁ and its subsequent reaction with another H*. The interaction of Ir₁ and the second-neighbouring Fe species demonstrates a new WGS pathway featured by electron transfer at the active site from Fe³⁺−O⋅⋅⋅Ir²⁺−O_vac to Fe²⁺−O_vac⋅⋅⋅Ir³⁺−O with the involvement of O_vac. The redox mechanism for WGS reaction through a dual metal active site (DMAS) is different from the conventional associative mechanism with the formation of formate or carboxyl intermediates. The proposed new reaction mechanism is corroborated by the experimental results with Ir₁/FeO_x for sequential production of CO₂ and H₂.     

Dual Metal Active Sites in an Ir1/FeOx Single‐Atom Catalyst: A Redox Mechanism for the Water‐Gas Shift Reaction

Herein, we report a theoretical and experimental study of the water‐gas shift (WGS) reaction on Ir₁/FeO_x single‐atom catalysts. Water dissociates to OH* on the Ir₁ single atom and H* on the first‐neighbour O atom bonded with a Fe site. The adsorbed CO on Ir₁ reacts with another adjacent O atom to produce CO₂, yielding an oxygen vacancy (O_vac). Then, the formation of H₂ becomes feasible due to migration of H from adsorbed OH* toward Ir₁ and its subsequent reaction with another H*. The interaction of Ir₁ and the second‐neighbouring Fe species demonstrates a new WGS pathway featured by electron transfer at the active site from Fe³⁺?O???Ir²⁺?O_vac to Fe²⁺?O_vac???Ir³⁺?O with the involvement of O_vac. The redox mechanism for WGS reaction through a dual metal active site (DMAS) is different from the conventional associative mechanism with the formation of formate or carboxyl intermediates. The proposed new reaction mechanism is corroborated by the experimental results with Ir₁/FeO_x for sequential production of CO₂ and H₂.     

Synthesis, crystal structure and characterization of a 2-D network organic-inorganic hybrid polymer with [α-BW12O40]5? as building blocks

A two-dimensional network compound [Ce(DMF)₄(H₂O)][α-BW₁₂O₄₀]·H₂O·(HDMA)₂ (HDMA = protoned dimethylamine, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide) was synthesized from α-H₅BW₁₂O₄₀·nH₂O, Ce(NO₃)₃·6H₂O and DMF and characterized by IR, UV spectra and TG-DTA. The result of the X-ray single crystal diffraction indicates that the crystal is monoclinic, space group P2₁/n, with unit cell dimensional: a = 1.1983(3), b = 2.4216(5), c = 1.9517(4) nm, β = 92.91(3)°, Z = 4, R ₁ = 0.07710, wR ₂ = 0.1416. Structural analysis indicates that every [Ce(DMF)₄(H₂O)]³⁺ building block is surrounded by three adjacent [α-BW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanions, meanwhile, every [α-BW₁₂O₄₀]⁵⁻ polyanion interconnects with three neighboring [Ce(DMF)₄(H₂O)]³⁺ subunits, by making use of which two-dimensional network structure can be constructed. The result of thermogravimetric analysis manifests that the title compound has two-stage weight loss and the decomposition temperature of the title polyanionic framework is 560°C. The electrochemical analysis shows the title polyanion has three-step redox processes in the pH = 4–7 media.     

pH-dependent assembly of saturated to dilacunary Keggin-based silicotungstate: [Cu(en)2(H2O)][H2en]{γ-SiW10O36[Cu(en)2(H2O)]2}·7.5H2O

By controlling the pH of the reaction system, a dilacunary γ-Keggin silicotungstate [Cu(en)₂(H₂O)][H₂en]{γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆[Cu(en)₂(H₂O)]₂}·7.5H₂O (1) (en?=?ethylenediamine) has been hydrothermally synthesized by the reaction of CuCl₂ with α-H₄SiW₁₂O₄₀ and characterized by IR spectra, thermogravimetric analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The product is prepared in the pH range 7.9–8.2, which reveals that pH plays a key role in the assembly of saturated α-H₄SiW₁₂O₄₀ to dilacunary [γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8? polyoxometalate. The polyoxoanion {γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆[Cu(en)₂(H₂O)]₂]}^4? of 1 presents a rare [γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8?-retaining structure, in which two lacunary sites of [γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8? are unoccupied, meanwhile, two [Cu(en)₂(H₂O)]²⁺ groups are grafted on either side of the [γ-SiW₁₀O₃₆]^8? unit by Cu–O–W bond.     

Effect of sulfur-containing amino acids and peptides on the free-radical fragmentation of biologically active phospho derivatives of glycerol

The effects of sulfur-containing amino acids and peptides (cysteine, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), methionine, methionine sulfoxide (MetO), taurine (Tau), glutathione (GSH, GSSH), cysteinylglycine, and glutamylcysteine) on the free-radical degradation of glycero-1-phosphate and dimiristoyl phosphatidylglycerol with phosphoether bond rupture induced by γ-radiation or the Fe²⁺(EDTA)(Cu²⁺)–H₂O₂–(ascorbate) systems have been studied. In the case of a radiation-initiated process, thiols exert the greatest radioprotective effect in a concentration-dependent manner, and the action of MetO and Tau is neutral. In the case of Cu²⁺- mediated fragmentation, all of the test compounds with exception of Tau and NAC inhibit the process. The action of the test compounds on the fragmentation mediated by the Fe²⁺/EDTA–H₂O₂ (Fe²⁺–H₂O₂–ascorbate) systems can be either anti(pro)oxidant or neutral. In this case, all of the thiols other than glutamylcysteine exert an activating effect.     

Mehrkernige Kobaltkomplexe. II. Herstellung und Struktur von [(tren) (NH3)Co(O2)Co(NH3) (tren)](SCN)4 · 2H2O

Polynuclear Cobalt Complexes. II. Preparation and Structure of [(tren) (NH₃)Co(O₂)Co(NH₃) (tren)](SCN)₄ · 2H₂O The title compound is obtained on oxygenation of [Co(tren)(H₂O)₂]²⁺ in 6M aqueous ammonia or by ligand exchange starting from [(NH₃)₅Co(O₂)Co(NH₃)₅]-(NO₃)₄. An X-ray structure determination was made. The substance forms monoclinic crystals, space group P2₁/c, lattice constants a=10,135, b=8,473, c=19,484 Å, β=108,58°, with two formula units in the cell. The final R is 0,066. The binuclear cation has a center of symmetry, so the Co? O? O? Co unit is planar; the Co? O? O angle is 111,5°. The tertiary nitrogen atoms of both chelate groups are cis to the O₂ bridge, as found in doubly bridged [(tren)Co(O₂,OH)Co(tren)](ClO₄)₃ · 3H₂O. On acidification in solution, the singly bridged cation [(tren) (NH₃)CoO₂Co(NH₃)(tren)]⁴⁺ (a) loses the bound O₂ completely. But unlike the doubly bridged cation b , the rate of dissociation of a is independent of pH (Fig. 5). At higher pH (8–10) bridging a→b (Fig. 2) occurs. Both reactions must have the same rate determining step, the first order rate constants being of the order of 2 · 10^?3 s^?1 (25°, 0,35M KCl).     

Ligand Modification Transforms a Catalase Mimic into a Water Oxidation Catalyst

The catalytic reactivity of the high‐spin Mn^II pyridinophane complexes [(Py₂NR₂)Mn(H₂O)₂]²⁺ (R=H, Me, tBu) toward O₂ formation is reported. With small macrocycle N‐substituents (R=H, Me), the complexes catalytically disproportionate H₂O₂ in aqueous solution; with a bulky substituent (R=tBu), this catalytic reaction is shut down, but the complex becomes active for aqueous electrocatalytic H₂O oxidation. Control experiments are in support of a homogeneous molecular catalyst and preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the catalyst is mononuclear. This ligand‐controlled switch in catalytic reactivity has implications for the design of new manganese‐based water oxidation catalysts.     

The OH(v = 9) + O3 reaction pathway

The oxygen-hydrogen system, including the reactive species H, O, H₂, O₂, O₃, OH, and HO₂, is very complex, and contains numerous reactions whose kinetics and branches have been insufficiently explored. In the present study we use computer modeling to simulate observations made in a 300-K ozone-hydrogen mixture, in which a critical H₂ pressure leads to rapid ozone decomposition, and generation of high concentrations of atomic oxygen. Initiation of the reaction chain involves heterogeneous O and/or H atom production, and the chain branching step is the reaction OH(v) + O₃ → OH + O + O₂, which is shown to be the predominant pathway for these reactants. The critical H₂ pressure (ca. 3 torr) sets important constraints upon the system kinetics.     

Synthesis, structural characterization and properties of a 3D infinitely extended structural rare earth coordination compound of K3{[Sm(H2O)7]2Na[α-SiW11O39Sm(H2O)4]2} · 14 H2O· 14 H2O

A 3D infinitely extended structural rare earth coordination compound with a formula of K₃{[Sm(H₂O)₇]₂Na[α-SiW₁₁O₃₉Sm(H₂O)₄]₂}·14H₂O has been synthesized by reaction of Sm₂O₃, HClO₄, NaOH with α-K₈SiW₁₁O39·nH₂O, and characterized by IR, UV spectra, ICP, TG-DTA, cyclic voltammetry, variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. X-ray single-crystal diffraction indicates that the title compound crystallizes in a triclinic lattice, Pī space group, with a = 1.2462(3) nm, b = 1.2652(3) nm, c = 1.8420(4) nm, α = 87.45(3)°, β = 79.91(3)°, γ= 82.57(3)°, Z = 1, R₁ = 0.0778, wR₂ = 0.1610. Structural analysis reveals that Sm³⁺(1) coordination cation has incorporated into the vacant site of [α-SiW11O₃₉]⁸⁻ entity, forming the [α- SiW₁₁O₃₉Sm(H₂O)₄]⁵⁻ subunit. The two adjacent [α-SiW₁₁O₃9Sm(H₂O)4]⁵⁻ subunits are combined with each other through two Sm(1)-O-W bridges accompanying the formation of dimmer structural unit [α-SiW₁₁O₃₉Sm(H₂O)₄]₂ ¹⁰⁻ of the title compound. The neighboring dimmer structural units [α-SiW₁₁O₃₉Sm(H₂O)₄]₂ ¹⁰⁻ are linked to form the 1D chainlike structure by means of two Sm³⁺(2) and a Na⁺(1) coordination cations. The K⁺(1) cations connect the 1D packing chains constructing the 2D netlike structure, and adjacent netlike layers are also grafted by K⁺(2) cations to build the novel 3D infinitely extended structure. The result of TG-DTA curves manifests that the decomposition temperature of the title polyanionic framework is 554°C. The cyclic voltammetry measurements show that the title polyanion has the two-step redox processes in aqueous solution with pH = 3.1. Variable temperature magnetic susceptibility indicates the title compound obeys the Cruie-Weiss Law in the higher temperature range from 110 to 300 K, while in the lower temperature range from 2 to 110 K the comparatively strong antiferromagnetism interactions can be observed.     

Poly[aquaneodymium(III)‐μ5‐2‐oxido‐5‐sulfonatobenzoato]

The title compound, [Nd(C₇H₃O₆S)(H₂O)]_n or [Nd(SSA)(H₂O)]_n (H₃SSA is 5‐sulfosalicylic acid), was synthesized by the hydrothermal reaction of Nd₂O₃ with H₃SSA in water. The compound forms a three‐dimensional network in which the asymmetric unit contains one Nd^III atom, one SSA ligand and one coordinated water mol­ecule. The central Nd^III ion is eight‐coordinate, bonded to seven O atoms from five different SSA ligands [Nd—O = 2.405 (4)–2.612 (4) Å] and one aqua O atom [Nd—OW = 2.441 (4) Å].     

On Reactions of Oxygenated Cobalt(II) Complexes. XI. Note on the Mechanism of O2 Uptake by Cobalt(II) Chelates with Tetra- and Pentadentate Amines

The synthesis of two new polyamines containing 2-pyridyl and 6-methyl-(2-pyridyl) groups is described. The equilibria between H⁺ and Co²⁺ and the new ligand 1,9-di(2-pyridyl)-2,5,8-triazanonane (dptn) as well as the protonation of the hydroxo complexes of 1,6-di(2-pyridyl)-2,5-diazahexane-Co(II) (Co(dpdh) and 1-(6-methyl-2-pyridyl-6-(2-pyridyl)-2,5-diazahexane-Co(II) (Co(mdpdh)) have been studied in aqueous solution using the pH method. The coordination ability of the pyridine containing ligand dptn is compared with the chelating tendency of the analogous aliphatic amine (tetren). In spite of the lower basicity of the pyridine derivative the stability constants of its Co(II) complex is higher by a factor of thirty. The absorption spectra give evidence for a pseudooctahedral geometry of Co(dpdh) (H²O) and Co(dpdh)(H₂O)(OH)⁺. Oxygen-uptake measurements indicate the formation of binuclear peroxo species. The potentiometric equilibrium data indicate the presence of dibridged species (dpdh)Co(O₂, OH)Co(dpdh)³⁺ and (mdpdh)Co(O₂, OH)Co-(mdpdh)³⁺. The kinetics of the rapid O₂-uptake was measured over a wide pH range on a stopped-flow apparatus. For Co(dpdh)²⁺ and Co(mdpdh)²⁺ we found a second order rate constant independent of pH up to pH 9, but in more alkaline solutions it increases and reaches an upper limit around pH 12.3. The data could be fitted by a rate law of the form k₁ = (k′₁[H⁺] + k″₁ K_H) ([H⁺] + K_H)^?1. This variation with pH was explained by a rapid equilibrium Co(dpdh) (H₂O) ? Co(dpdh)(H₂O)(OH)⁺ + H⁺(K_H). The enhanced rate constants of the hydroxo species must arise from a rate determining H₂O replacement by O₂, dominated by Co-OH₂ bond breaking and the expected ability of an OH^? group to labilize neighboring H₂O molecules. The protonation constant of the hydroxo complex obtained by equilibrium measurements (pK_H = 11.19 ± 0.03) was in good agreement with that derived from kinetic data (11.12 ± 0.04). The hydrolysis of Co(dptn)(H₂O)²⁺ influences the rate of O₂-incorporation in a different way. In this system retardation occurs as a result of hydrolysis ascribed to the slower leaving of OH^? compared to H₂O. This was expected if a mechanism with rate determining H₂O replacements by O₂ holds.     

The electrochemical reduction of oxygen to hydrogen peroxide at the dropping mercury electrode: Part I. Its kinetics at 605 pH<12.5

Via the combination of data obtained from dc and ac experiments it is shown that, contrary to earlier beliefs, the kinetics of the reaction O₂ + 2e + 2 H₂O ? H₂O₂ + 2 OH^? do not depend on pH between pH = 6.5 and pH = 12.5. The rate of reduction is obtained in a large potential range that allows proof of the existence of an electrochemical step followed by a chemical step and the determination of the kinetic parameters of these steps.The analyses of the ac data have some novel aspects.     

Strategic Capture of the {Nb7} Polyoxometalate

Group V Nb-polyoxometalate (Nb-POM) chemistry generally lacks the elegant pH-controlled speciation exhibited by group VI (Mo, W) POM chemistry. Here three Nb-POM clusters were isolated and structurally characterized; [Nb₁₄O₄₀(O₂)₂H₃]¹⁴⁻, [((UO₂)(H₂O))₃Nb₄₆(UO₂)₂O₁₃₆H₈(H₂O)₄]²⁴⁻, and [(Nb₇O₂₂H₂)₄(UO₂)₇(H₂O)₆]²²⁻, that effectively capture the aqueous Nb-POM species from pH 7 to pH 10. These Nb-POMs illustrate a reaction pathway for control over speciation that is driven by counter-cations (Li⁺) rather than pH. The two reported heterometallic POMs (with UO₂²⁺ moieties) are stabilized by replacing labile H₂O/HO−Nb=O with very stable O=U=O. The third isolated Nb-POM features cis-yl-oxos, prior observed only in group VI POM chemistry. Moreover, with these actinide-heterometal contributions to the burgeoning Nb-POM family, it now transects all major metal groups of the periodic table.