From aqueous speciation to supramolecular assembly in alkaline earth-uranyl polyoxometalates.

The interplay between aqueous alkaline earth (Ca, Sr, Ba) polycationic speciation and uranyl-peroxide polyoxometalate self-assembly and evolution is described here using solution (Raman and X-ray scattering) and solid-state (microscopy, X-ray diffraction) characterization. Supramolecular assembly of Sr-encapsulated and decorated polyanions and polycations yields the fourth largest inorganic unit cell reported from single-crystal X-ray diffraction.