In situ ligand exchange-mediated 0D/1D transformation of a polyoxovanadate.

The antimonato-polyoxovanadate {NiII (en)3 }3 [VSbO42 (H2 O)]·ca.15H2 O was utilized as a synthon for the solvothermal in situ generation of the new compound {NiII (phen)3 }2 [{NiII (en)2 }VSbO42 (H2 O)]·19H2 O, a rearrangement induced by ligand metathesis. While in the precursor structure cations and anions are isolated, the solid-state structure of the product is characterized by 1D chains consisting of alternating [V15 Sb6 O42 (H2 O)]6- cluster shells and [Ni(en)2 ]2+ units covalently linked to neighboring clusters via terminal oxygen atoms. Water clusters composed of sixteen hydrogen-bonded H2 O molecules are located in void spaces of the structure. The magnetic properties indicate weak antiferromagnetic interactions of the bridging Ni2+ center and adjacent polyoxovanadate anions, as well as small magnetic anisotropy of the individual Ni2+ centers.