Oxygen-isotope exchange rates for three isostructural polyoxometalate ions.

We compare oxygen-isotope exchange rates for all structural oxygens in three polyoxoniobate ions that differ by systematic metal substitutions of Ti(IV) --> Nb(V). The [H(x)Nb(10)O(28)]((6-x)-), [H(x)TiNb(9)O(28)]((7-x)-), and [H(x)Ti(2)Nb(8)O(28)]((8-x)-) ions are all isostructural yet have different Brønsted properties. Rates for sites within a particular molecule in the series differ by at least approximately 10(4), but the relative reactivities of the oxygen sites rank in nearly the same relative order for all ions in the series. Within a single ion, most structural oxygens exhibit rates of isotopic exchange that vary similarly with pH, indicating that each structure responds as a whole to changes in pH. Across the series of molecules, however, the pH dependencies for isotope exchanges and dissociation are distinctly different, reflecting different contributions from proton- or base-enhanced pathways. The proton-enhanced pathway for isotope exchange dominates at most pH conditions for the [H(x)Ti(2)Nb(8)O(28)]((8-x)-) ion, but the base-enhanced pathways are increasingly important for the [H(x)TiNb(9)O(28)]((7-x)-) and [H(x)Nb(10)O(28)]((6-x)-) structures at higher pH. The local effect of Ti(IV) substitution could be assessed by comparing rates for structurally similar oxygens on each side of the [H(x)TiNb(9)O(28)]((7-x)-) ion and is surprisingly small. Interestingly, these nanometer-size structures seem to manifest the same general averaged amphoteric chemistry that is familiar for other reactions affecting oxides in water, including interface dissolution by proton- and hydroxyl-enhanced pathways.