Polyoxometalates (POMs) form a large, distinctive class of molecular inorganic compounds of unrivaled electronic versatility and structural variation, with impacts ranging from chemistry, catalysis, and materials science to biology, and medicine. This book covers the basic principles governing the structure, bonding and reactivity of these metal-oxygen cluster anions and the major developments in their molecular science.

The book comprises three sections. The first covers areas ranging from topological principles via synthesis and stability to reactivity in solution. It also focuses on the physical methods currently used to extract information on the molecular and electronic structures as well as the physical properties of these clusters. The second part reviews different types of POMs, focusing on those systems that currently impact other areas of interest, such as supramolecular chemistry, nanochemistry and molecular magnetism. The third section is devoted to POM-based materials and their applications and prospects in catalysis and materials science.

Inhalt
One / Basic Concepts and Principles.- to Polyoxometalate Chemistry.- General Principles of the Synthesis of Polyoxometalates in Aqueous Solution.- General Strategies for Non-aqueous Polyoxometalate Synthesis.- Complex Oxides as Molecular Materials: Structure and Bonding in High-valent Early Transition Metal Compounds.- Physical Methods in Studying Polyoxometalates: Extended Hückel Molecular Orbital Calculations and Spectroscopic Properties.- Time-resolved Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy of Photoredox Reactions of Polyoxometalates: Formation of Paramagnetic-species Pair by Triplet Mechanism.- Two / Relevant Types of POM Compounds.- Functionalized Polyoxometalates.- Sulfur-containing Keggin Anions and Cyclic Polyoxothioanions.- Magnetic Polyoxometalates.- Combinatorially Linkable Metal-oxide Based Units: Perspectives for Nano, Supramolecular, and Solid-state Chemistry.- Three / Materials and Applications.- Applications of Polyoxometalates in Homogeneous Catalysis.- Heterogeneous Catalysis by Heteropoly Compounds.- Photochemistry and Photocatalysis by Polyoxometalates.- Hybrid Materials Based on Polyoxometalates with Solid State Properties.- Polyoxometalates in Tailored Supramolecular Architectures: from Structure to Function.- List of Contributors.