Organic-functionalized, substituted polyoxovanadium and vanadoniobates: Synthesis, structure and application

Polyoxovanadates (POVs), as an important subfamily of polyoxometalates (POMs), have been attracting continuous interest due to their rich structural chemistry and unusual properties that make them attractive for applications in catalysis, magnetism, optics and medicine. In parallel with the large number of crystal structures of isopolyoxovanadates reported in the literature, the incorporation of heteroatoms into polyoxovanadate frameworks towards the functional materials has received considerable attention. This mini-review summarizes the recent advances on polyoxovanadates, and particularly highlights achievements that are concerned with organic-functionalized, substituted polyoxovanadium and vanadoniobates. We present the synthetic methods, structural features and applications mainly in catalysis and magnetism. The challenges and prospects of these emerging polyoxovanadates are also discussed.