Self-assembly of a novel nanoscale giant cluster: [Mo176O496(OH)(32)(H2O)(80)]

Reduction of an acidified solution of Na2MoO4. 2H(2)O by iron powder results in the formation of the title compound [Mo176O16O480(OH)(32)(H2O)(80)]; the compound is tyre shaped and consists of sixteen {Mo-8} subunits being linked by forty-eight MoO6 octahedra; remarkable features are the size and mass (which is of the order of a protein) and its nano-dimensional cavity of ca. 3 nm in diameter.Chemistry, MultidisciplinarySCI(E)40ARTICLE181937-193