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New organophosphonate derivatives of monovacant Keggin-type polyoxotungstates that contain naphthyl groups have been synthesized and characterized in both solid state and solution. Single-crystal structural analysis shows that two phosphonate groups occupy the vacant position of the lacunary cluster unit in the isostructural compounds [N(C4H9)(4)](3)[H(POC11H9)(2)(-HBW11O39)] (TBA-1) and [N(C4H9)(4)](3)[H(POC11H9)(2)(-SiW11O39)] (TBA-2). Liquid-solution UV-Vis transmittance and solid-state diffuse reflectance spectroscopy studies reveal the presence of a new absorption band in the visible region, the charge transfer character of which has been further confirmed by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. The latter evidence that the charge transfer process is dominated by transitions from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO), localized in the aromatic ring of the organic group, to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), localized in the Keggin anion. Photoluminescence studies show that the fluorescent properties of the 1-naphthylmethylphosphonate group are quenched upon its incorporation into the inorganic oxo-tungstate skeleton. The solution stability of the hybrid clusters has been evaluated by a combination of H-1-, C-13- and P-31-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy and Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry. The hybrid polyanion [H(POC11H9)(2)(-HBW11O39)](3-) (1) herein constitutes the first structurally characterized organo-p-block containing borotungstate, and hence it confirms that this strategy for the organic functionalization of polyoxometalate clusters can be applied to new platforms belonging to the family of group-13 heteropolyoxotungstates.

Organic - inorganic hybrids synthesized from lacunary polyoxotungstates (POMs) have been screened as oxidation catalysts with H(2)O(2) under MW irradiation. Yields up to 99% have been obtained in 25-50 min depending both on the POM structure and on the organic moiety. The reaction scope, optimized with the best performing catalyst [gamma-SiW(10)O(36)(PhPO)(2)](4-), includes epoxidation of terminal and internal double bonds, alcohol oxidation, and sulfoxidation, as well as oxygen transfer to electron-deficient substrates as chalcone, ketones, and sulfoxides.