Precisely manipulation of core composition of core-shell-type cobalt polyoxoniobates and proton conduction study

The development of core-shell nanoclusters with controllable composition is of utmost importance as the material properties depend on their constituent elements.However,precisely tuning their compositions at the atomic scale is not easily achieved because of the difficulty of using limited macroscopic synthetic methods for atomic-level modulation.In this work,we report an interesting example of precisely regulating the core composition of an inorganic core-shell-type cobalt polyoxoniobate[Co_(26)Nb_(36)O_(140)]^(32−)by controlling reaction conditions,in which the inner Co-core composition could be tune while retaining the outer Nb-shell composition of resulting product,leading to a series of isostructural species with a general formula of{Co_(26-n)Nb_(36+n)O_(140)}(n=0–2).These rare species not only can display good powder and single-crystal proton conductivities,but also might provide helpful and atomic-level insights into the syntheses,structures and composition modifications of inorganic amorphous core-shell heterometal oxide nanoparticles.

Recent advances in polyoxoniobate-catalyzed reactions

The search for polyoxometalate-based catalysts has long attracted interest.Being designable in structure,stable and effective,polyoxoniobate-based catalysts have an exciting prospect for industrial applications.This paper not only summarizes recent advances in classic polyoxoniobate-catalyzed reactions,including chemical warfare agents and organic dyes degradation,epoxidation reactions,photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and base-catalyzed reactions but also discusses some representative cases and the speculative mechanism related to structures.In addition,the current challenges and perspectives in the fabrication of more efficient and promising polyoxoniobate-based catalysts are also presented.

Cationic quaternary ammonium-stabilized Nb oxoclusters catalyze reductive amination of carbon dioxide with hydrosilane

The N-formylation of amines with CO_(2)and hydrosilanes is an emerging yet important reaction in fine chemical industry.Herein,we have reported a methyltrioctylammonium cation(TOMA)stabilized Nb oxocluster catalyst that can effectively realize two electron reduction of CO_(2)and form C-N bond simultaneously,leading to the corresponding formamides.The oxocluster catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity to transform secondary and primary amines into the corresponding formamides,with the conversion ranging from 81.5%to 99.2%under room temperature conditions.Furthermore,the Nb oxocluster catalyst shows the unique characteristics of ionic liquids,and it is highly robust and easy to be recycled for five times with negligible loss of catalytic activity.On the basis of the activity tests and structure characterization of Nb catalysts,it was found that TOMA cation played an important role in modulating the Nb oxocluster with high stability and uniform dispersion.The mechanism studies demonstrate that the formylation reaction proceeds through the formation of silyl formate intermediate rather than carbamate,and the Lewis base site of negative oxygen atoms from polyoxoniobate anions can exert a favorable impact on activation both CO_(2)and Si-H bond of PhSiH 3,allowing that N-formylation reaction proceed smoothly under very mild reaction conditions.