Carbonyl-ruthenium substituted alpha-Keggin-tungstosilicate, [alpha-SiW(11)O(39)Ru(II)(CO)](6-): synthesis, structure, redox studies and reactivity.

The carbonyl-ruthenium substituted undecatungstosilicate [alpha-SiW(11)O(39)Ru(II)(CO)](6-) () was isolated as a caesium salt and successfully characterized by using (183)W and (13)C NMR, elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Polyanion represents the first example of a metal-carbonyl moiety being fully incorporated into the polyoxometalate (POM). As a result, the Ru(CO) moiety became redox active and was reversibly oxidized to the one-electron ruthenium(iii) derivative, [alpha-SiW(11)O(39)Ru(III)(CO)](5-). This Ru(III)(CO) moiety was unexpectedly stable in aqueous solution compared to the organo-ruthenium carbonyl derivatives and could be detected by using UV-vis and in situ IR coupled with electrolysis. The oxidized ruthenium(iii) derivative slowly released CO in aqueous solution, resulting in the aqua species [alpha-SiW(11)O(39)Ru(III)(H(2)O)](5-) and then the dimeric POM species by condensation. Furthermore, could be converted to the corresponding aqua polyanion by photo-irradiation.