A dual-function all-inorganic intercluster salt comprising the polycation ε-[Al13O4(OH)24(H2O)12]7+ and polyanion α-[PMo10V2O40]5− for detoxifying sulfur mustard and soman

Abstract

ε-[Al₁₃O₄(OH)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂]⁷⁺, which shares similarity with the phosphotriesterase active site Zn^II–OH–Zn^II, was specially chosen to interact with the cluster α-PMo₁₀V₂O₄₀⁵⁻ to form a new three-dimensional intercluster, which crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2₁/m with Z = 2, for the decontamination of chemical warfare agents. The experimental results showed that 50 mg of the compound decontaminated 96.4% (within 120 min) and 99.5% (within 40 min) of sulfur mustard (HD) (4 μL) and soman (GD) (4 μL), respectively, in ambient conditions. The decontamination processes followed first-order reaction kinetics with a rate constant and half-life of 0.01234 min⁻¹ and 56.15 min for HD and 0.1198 min⁻¹ and 5.78 min for GD, respectively. It was concluded that the α-PMo₁₀V₂O₄₀⁵⁻ moiety was responsible for the catalytic oxidation of HD into non-toxic sulfoxide, while the ε-[Al₁₃O₄(OH)₂₄(H₂O)₁₂]⁷⁺ moiety was responsible for the catalytic hydrolysis of HD and GD into nontoxic hydrolysates. Besides, the compound showed notable efficacy for the decontamination of HD on guinea pig skin and of GD on Kunming mouse skin, indicating high potential for use in human skin protection and treatment.