The novel sandwich-type heteropolyoxotungstates [M2Bi2(beta-B-MW9O34)2]14- (M = Co(II), Zn(II)): beta-type dimeric heteropolyanions with a transition metal as the central heteroatom and Bi(III) and M as linking atoms.

Two new sandwich-type heteropolyoxometalates, Na(14)[Co(2)Bi(2)(beta-B-CoW(9)O(34))(2)].48H(2)O (1) and Na(14)[beta-B-Zn(2)Bi(2)(ZnW(9)O(34))(2)].51H(2)O (2), have been synthesized at pH = 7.5-8 and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, TG-DSC and electrochemistry. Structural analysis indicates that both polyanions, M(2)Bi(2)(beta-B-MW(9)O(34))(2)](14-) (M = Co(II) and Zn(II)), are isomorphic and consist of two unprecedented [beta-B-MW(9)O(34)](12-) subunits linked by two M(II) and two Bi(III) which are coplanar. The polyanions are also the first examples of dimeric heteropolyanions with Bi(III) only as the second (linking) heteroatom and the transition metals (Co(II) or Zn(II)) as the first and second heteroatoms as well. The lower absorption of nu(W-O(d)) (915 cm(-1)) in the IR is a simple and feasible judgment of sandwich-type polyanions with a transition metal ion as a central heteroatom.