A light-harvesting polyoxometalate-polypyridine hybrid induces electron transfer as its Re(I) complex.

A derivative of the Dawson polyoxometalate [P2V3W15O62](9-) functionalized with one remote bipyridine coordination site (2) has been synthesized and combined with the neutral {Re(CO)3Br} moiety. The new Re(I)-hybrid (3) was characterized by various analytical techniques. Hybrid 3 exhibits several redox processes on a wide range of potentials with reductions centered on V(V), W(VI) and the organic ligand in order of decreasing potential. Both units, the polyoxometalate and the transition metal complex, retain their intrinsic properties in the hybrid 3, which displays photosensitization in the UV region with tailing into high-energy visible region.