Hydrothermal synthesis and structural characterization: a novel α-Keggin unit supported zinc-bipyridyl complex [Zn(2,2′-bipy)3]2[ZnW12O40Zn(2,2′-bipy)2] · H2O

The hydrothermal reaction of Na2WO4 · 2H2O, ZnCl2, Zn(Ac)2 · 2H2O, 2,2′-bipyridine, and H2O gives rise to a novel Keggin unit supported zinc-bipyridyl complex [Zn(2,2′-bipy)3]2[ZnW12O40Zn(2,2′-bipy)2] · H2O consisting of a novel heteropolyanion [ZnW12O40Zn(2,2′-bipy)2]4+ in which the Keggin anion [ZnW12O40]6− acts as a bidentate ligand towards the transition metal cation Zn2+ through a terminal oxygen and a bridging oxygen from the same WO6 octahedron.