Zirconium and hafnium aqua complexes [(H2O)3M(P2W17O61)]: Synthesis, characterization and substitution of water by chiral ligand

The hydroxocomplexes {(H₂O)M(μ₂-OH)(P₂W₁₇O₆₁)}₂]¹⁴⁻ (M = Zr, Hf) in HCl undergo cleavage of the hydroxo bridges with the formation of monomeric species (H₂O)₃M(P₂W₁₇O₆₁)]⁶⁻. In the case of Hf single crystals of the composition (Me₂NH₂)_5.5(H)_1.5(Hf(H₂O)₃)_0.9(WO)_0.1{P₂W₁₇O₆₁}]Cl·9.5H₂O (1), as the result of co-crystallization of (H₂O)₃Hf(P₂W₁₇O₆₁)]⁶⁻ and P₂W₁₈O₆₂]⁶⁻ salts, were isolated from these solutions and structurally characterized. Zr gives (Me₂NH₂)₂(H)₄{(H₂O)₂ZrP₂W₁₇O₆₁}]·8.67H₂O (2), in whose structure chiral polymeric chains {(H₂O)₂M(P₂W₁₇O₆₁)]}_n⁶ⁿ⁻ are present. Under hydrothermal conditions the water molecules in (H₂O)₃M(P₂W₁₇O₆₁)]⁶⁻ are replaced by l-malic acid with the formation of stable chiral polyoxoanions, isolated as (NH₂Me₂)₈M(L-ООССН(ОН)СН₂СОО)P₂W₁₇O₆₁]·7·9H₂O (M = Zr, 3; M = Hf, 4). The structures of 1, 2 and 3 were determined; 3 and 4 were found to be isostructural. The products were also characterized by elemental analysis, thermogravimetry and IR-spectroscopy.