Tetrakis(dimethyltin)-Containing Tungstophosphate [{Sn(CH₃)₂}₄(H₂P₄W₂₄O₉₂)₂]²⁸⁻: First Evidence for a Lacunary Preyssler Ion

We demonstrate for the first time that the superlacunary polyanion [H(2)P(4)W(24)O(94)](22)(-) reacts with electrophiles. One-pot reaction of this precursor polyanion with dimethyltin dichloride in aqueous acidic medium results in the hybrid organic-inorganic [{Sn(CH(3))(2)}(4)(H(2)P(4)W(24)O(92))(2)](28)(-) (1). Single-crystal X-ray analysis was carried out on K(17)Li(11)[{Sn(CH(3))(2)}(4)(H(2)P(4)W(24)O(92))(2)].51H(2)O (1a), which crystallizes in the tetragonal system, space group P4(2)/nmc, a = b = 21.5112(17) and c = 27.171(3) A, and Z = 2. Polyanion 1 is composed of two (P(4)W(24)O(92)) fragments that are linked by four equivalent diorganotin groups. The unprecedented assembly 1 has D(2)(d)() symmetry and contains a hydrophobic pocket in the center of the molecule. The cyclic voltammetry pattern of 1 is constituted by a first broad, 16-electron reduction wave followed by a second large current intensity wave. No splitting of the first reduction wave could be obtained at moderate scan rate values, even though two well-separated oxidation processes are associated with it. The characteristics of the first wave are clearly different from those obtained for the polyanion precursor [H(2)P(4)W(24)O(94)](22)(-) and the related, wheel-shaped [H(7)P(8)W(48)O(184)](33)(-), which is due to the {Sn(CH(3))(2)} fragments in 1. However, no feature was observed in the voltammogram which could be associated with reduction of the Sn centers.