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Atomically precise low‐nuclearity (n<10) silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) have garnered significant interest due to their size‐dependent optical properties and diverse applications. However, their synthesis has remained challenging, primarily due to their inherent instability. The present study introduces a new feasible approach for clustering silver ions utilizing highly negative and redox‐inert polyoxoniobates (PONbs) as all‐inorganic ligands. This strategy not only enables the creation of novel Ag‐PONb composite nanoclusters but also facilitates the synthesis of stable low‐nuclearity AgNCs. Using this method, we have successfully synthesized a small octanuclear rhombic [Ag8]6+ AgNC stabilized by six highly negative [LiNb27O75]14− polyoxoanions. This marks the first PONb‐protected superatomic AgNC, designated as {Ag8@(LiNb27O75)6} (Ag8@Nb162), with an aesthetically spherical core–shell structure. The crystalline Ag8@Nb162 is stable under ambient conditions, What's more, it is water‐soluble and able to maintain its molecular cluster structure intact in water. Further, the stable small [Ag8]6+ AgNC has interesting temperature‐ and pH‐dependent reversible fluorescence response, based on which a multiple optical encryption mode for anti‐counterfeit technology was demonstrated. This work offers a promising avenue for the synthesis of fascinating and stable PONb‐protected AgNCs and sheds light on the development of new‐type optical functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Only rarely have polyoxometalates been found to form core–shell nanoclusters. Here, we succeeded in isolating a series of rare giant and all‐inorganic core–shell cobalt polyoxoniobates (Co−PONbs) with diverse shapes, nuclearities and original topologies, including 50‐nuclearity {Co12Nb38O132}, 54‐nuclearity {Co20Nb34O128}, 62‐nuclearity {Co26Nb36O140} and 87‐nuclearity {Co33Nb54O188}. They are the largest Co−PONbs and also the polyoxometalates containing the greatest number of Co ions and the largest cobalt clusters known thus far. These molecular Co−PONbs have intriguing and atomically precise core–shell architectures comprising unique cobalt oxide cores and niobate oxide shells. In particular, the encapsulated cobalt oxide cores with different nuclearities have identical compositions, structures and mixed‐valence Co3+/Co2+ states as the different sized Co−O moieties of the bulk cubic‐spinel Co3O4, suggesting that they can serve as various molecular models of the cubic‐spinel Co3O4. The successful construction of the series of the Co−PONbs reveals a feasible and versatile synthetic method for making rare core–shell heterometallic PONbs. Further, these new‐type core–shell bimetal species are promising cluster molecular catalysts for visible‐light‐driven CO2 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cup‐shaped molecules are of great interest due to their appealing architectures and properties. Compared with widely studied calixarenes, polyoxometalate‐based cup‐shaped molecules currently remain a virgin land waiting for exploration. In this work, we report the first discovery of two giant cup‐shaped inorganic–organic hybrid polyoxoniobates (PONbs) of {Cu12Nb120} and {Cd16Nb128}. The former integrates three tricyclic Nb24 clusters and a hexacyclic Nb48 cluster into a cup‐shaped molecule via a Cu12 metallacalixarene, while the latter unifies two tricyclic Nb24 clusters and a brand‐new pentacyclic Nb40 cluster into another cup‐shaped molecule via a hybrid Cd16 unit. With 132 and 144 metal centers, {Cu12Nb120} and {Cd16Nb128} show the largest two inorganic–organic hybrid PONbs known to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: A protein‐sized (ca. 4.2×4.2×3.6 nm3) non‐biologically derived molecule {Nb288O768(OH)48(CO3)12} (Nb288) containing up to 288 niobium atoms has been obtained, which is by far the largest and the highest nuclearity polyoxoniobate (PONb). Particularly, in terms of metal nuclearity number, Nb288 is the second largest cluster so far reported in classic polyoxometalate chemistry (V, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta). Nb288 can be described as a giant windmill‐like cluster aggregate of six nanoscale high‐nuclearity PONb units {Nb47O128(OH)6(CO3)2} (Nb47) joined together by six additional Nb ions. Interestingly, the 47‐nuclearity Nb47 units generated in situ can be isolated and bridged by copper complexes to form an inorganic–organic hybrid three‐dimensional PONb framework, which exhibits effective catalytic activity for hydrolyzing nerve agent simulant of dimethyl methylphosphonate. The unique Nb47 cluster also provides a new type of topology to very limited family of Nb‐O clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series containing the highest nuclearity polyoxoniobate (PONb) nanoclusters, ranging from dimers to tetramers, has been obtained. They include one 114-nuclear {Li8⊂Nb114O316}, one 81-nuclear {Li3K⊂Nb81O225}, and one 52-nuclear {H4Nb52O150}. The Nb nuclearity of these PONbs is remarkably larger than those of all known high-nuclearity PONbs (≤32). Furthermore, the introduction of 3d Cu2+ ions can lead to the generation of extended inorganic-organic hybrid frameworks built from novel, high-nuclearity, nanoscale heterometallic PONb building blocks {H3Cu3Nb78O222} or {H3Cu4(en)Nb78O222}. These building blocks also contain the largest number of Nb centers of any heterometallic PONbs reported to date. The synthesis of new-type PONbs has long been a challenging subject in PONb chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of polyoxometalates (POMs) that incorporate the highest-nuclearity Ln clusters that have been observed in such structures to date (Ln26 , Ln=La and Ce) are described, which exhibit giant multishell configurations (Ln⊂W6⊂Ln26⊂W100). Their structures are remarkably different from known giant POMs that feature multiple Ln ions. In particular, the incorporated Ln-O clusters with a nuclearity of 26 are significantly larger than known high-nuclearity (≤10) Ln-O clusters in POM chemistry. Furthermore, they also contain the largest number of La and Ce centers for any POM reported to date and represent a new kind of rare giant POMs with more than 100 W atoms. Interestingly, the La26-containing POM can undergo a single-crystal to single-crystal structural transformation in the presence of various transition-metal ions, such as Cu2+, Co2+, and Ni2+, from an inorganic molecular nanocluster into an inorganic-organic hybrid extended framework that is built from POM building blocks with even higher-nuclearity La28 clusters bridged by transition-metal complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series containing the highest nuclearity polyoxoniobate (PONb) nanoclusters, ranging from dimers to tetramers, has been obtained. They include one 114-nuclear {Li8⊂Nb114O316}, one 81-nuclear {Li3K⊂Nb81O225}, and one 52-nuclear {H4Nb52O150}. The Nb nuclearity of these PONbs is remarkably larger than those of all known high-nuclearity PONbs (≤32). Furthermore, the introduction of 3d Cu2+ ions can lead to the generation of extended inorganic-organic hybrid frameworks built from novel, high-nuclearity, nanoscale heterometallic PONb building blocks {H3Cu3Nb78O222} or {H3Cu4(en)Nb78O222}. These building blocks also contain the largest number of Nb centers of any heterometallic PONbs reported to date. The synthesis of new-type PONbs has long been a challenging subject in PONb chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]