A Ta/W mixed addenda heteropolyacid with excellent acid catalytic activity and proton-conducting property

• A Ta/W mixed addenda Heteropolyacid (H-1) was isolated.
• Hammett acidity constant H0 of H-1 is the strongest among the present known HPAs.
• H-1 exhibits excellent catalytic activities toward acetal reaction.
• H-1 is a good solid state proton conducting material at room temperature.

A new HPAs H20[P8W60Ta12(H2O)4(OH)8O236]·125H2O (H-1) which comprises a Ta/W mixed addenda heteropolyanion, 20 protons, and 125 crystalline water molecules has been prepared through ion-exchange method. The structure and properties of H-1 have been explored in detail. AC impedance measurements indicate that H-1 is a good solid state proton conducting material at room temperature with a conductivity value of 7.2×10−3 S cm−1 (25 °C, 30% RH). Cyclic voltammograms of H-1 indicate the electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of nitrite. Hammett acidity constant H0 of H-1 in CH3CN is −2.91, which is the strongest among the present known HPAs. Relatively, H-1 exhibits excellent catalytic activities toward acetal reaction.

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