Deoxygenation of Polynuclear Metal-Oxo Anions: Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of the Condensed Polyoxoanion [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)(NbW(5)O(18))(2)O

The deoxygenation of the mixed-metal polyoxoanion [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](3)NbW(5)O(19) with benzoyl chloride in dichloromethane forms quantitatively the condensed polyoxanion [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)(NbW(5)O(18))(2)O, in which two polyoxoanion fragments are linked together by a Nb-O-Nb oxo bridge. The product is characterized by a strong IR band at 692 cm(-)(1) assigned to a Nb-O-Nb stretch and a broad single (93)Nb NMR resonance at 975 ppm. Partial hydrolysis of [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)(NbW(5)O(18))(2)O to NbW(5)O(19)O(3)(-) in wet acetonitrile was observed by IR and (17)O NMR spectroscopy. The reaction of [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)(NbW(5)O(18))(2)O with a variety of alcohols and phenol forms alkoxide-derivatized polyoxoanions [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](2)Nb(OR)W(5)O(18) (R = methyl, ethyl, isopropyl, cholesteryl, phenyl). The similarity of the IR spectra of these deriviatives suggests that functionalization occurs at the terminal NbO oxygen. A crystallographic study of [(C(4)H(9))(4)N](4)(NbW(5)O(18))(2)O revealed a crystallographically imposed linear Nb-O-Nb oxo bridge (Nb-O(bridge) = 1.887(3) ?) and a structure in which the terminal tungsten-oxo bonds on the adjoining polyoxoanion fragments are eclipsed. Crystal data: orthorhombic, Cmca; Z = 4, a = 15.817(2) ?, b = 17.870(2) ?, c = 35.058(2) ?; V = 9928.0(10) ?(3); R = 5.52%.