A potassium selective ‘nanosponge’ with well defined pores

Abstract

The novel spherical cluster-compound K₂Na₆[K₂₀⊂Mo₈₀V₂₂O₂₈₂(SO₄)₁₂(H₂O)₆₆]·≈140H₂O 1 has been obtained in a ‘one-pot’ reaction and exhibits several remarkable structural features: 30 open shell centers, i.e. 8 Mo^V and 22 V^IV spanning an icosidodecahedron, the incorporation of 20 K⁺ cations capping 20 appropriate {M₆O₆} pores/rings present at the surface of the spherical cluster-anion, and an encapsulated aggregate of water molecules.