Effects of vanadium(V)-substitution on the oxidative properties of alpha-Keggin-type heteropolyanion clusters-progress in DFT theoretical studies

The redox properties of alpha-Keggin-type heteropolyanion clusters [XM12O40] (n-) (X = Si, P; M = Mo, W) mainly depend on their constituent outer metal-oxygen cages {M12O36}. They act as reservoirs, through which the transfer and transition of electrons and protons may occur. At the atomic and molecular level, the redox properties of these clusters can be controlled and also tuned by modifying the metal M in the cages and the central heteroatom X of the clusters. Combined with relevant experimental results, this review summarizes our recent theoretical investigations of the effect of vanadium substitution on the redox properties of Keggin anion clusters. Theoretical modeling and calculation results showed that the oxidative ability of the modified species was increased by partial substitution of the cage M atoms of the Keggin clusters by vanadium atoms which have lower electronegativity. A linear correlation between the catalytic efficiency per vanadium atom and the microstructures of the vanadium(V)-substituted heteropolyanions [PV (n) Mo12-n O-40]((3+n)-) (n = 1-3) was established for the first time. This relationship may be suitable to interpret the catalytic behavior of the title compounds in the hydroxylation of benzene to phenol, and may also be used in understanding other reactions such as the oxidative dehydrogenation of isobutyric acid and the nitration of adamantine. The establishment of this nearly linear structure-property relationship may lay the foundations of understanding the behavior of the title compounds in homogeneous catalytic oxidation reactions, and may direct the design of future catalysts and the choice of other catalytic reactions.