Syntheses,characterization and catalytic activity of peroxo tantalum polyoxotungstates

Peroxo-tantalum and tantalum mono-substituted tungstosilicates with the Keggin structure, K₅[-SiW₁₁Ta(O₂) O₃₉]18H₂O (1) and K₅[-SiW₁₁TaO₄₀]14H₂O (2) respectively, and peroxo-tantalum and tantalum mono-substituted tungstophosphates with the Wells–Dawson structure K₇[₂-P₂W₁₇Ta(O₂)O₆₁]16H₂O (3) and K₇[₂-P₂W₁₇TaO₆₂]14H₂O (4), respectively, were prepared by stereoselective synthesis and characterized by elemental analysis, i.r. and u.v. spectroscopy, XPS, ³¹P and ¹⁸³W n.m.r. spectroscopy, and polarography, as well as cyclic voltammetry. The presence of a peroxo group in the complexes (1) and (3) was supported by observation of an i.r. band due to the —O—O— bond at 881 cm^–1, the charge transfer bands of (²—O₂)Ta at ca. 316 and 389 nm, the O_1s binding energy at 532.0 eV and a new irreversible reduction polarographic wave at E_1/2 0.1 V, assigned to the reduction of peroxo group and which enhances the oxidant properties of the heteropoly anions. There are six lines for complex (1) and nine lines for complex (3) in the ¹⁸³W n.m.r. spectra, showing that the complex (1) has a mono-substituted Keggin structure and complex (3) has a mono-substituted ₂-Wells–Dawson structure. The catalytic activities of the complexes with respect to epoxidation of maleic acid with H₂O₂ as oxidant were examined and the best result, 83.5% yield, was obtained for [(C₄H₉)₄N]₅[-SiW₁₁Ta(O)₂O₃₉]·18H₂O.