Predicting the Solubility of Inorganic Ion Pairs in Water.

Polyoxometalates (POMs), ranging in size from 1 to 10's of nanometers, resemble building blocks of inorganic materials. Elucidating their complex solubility behavior with alkali-counterions can inform natural and synthetic aqueous processes. In the study of POMs ([Nb O H ] , Nb ) we discovered an unusual solubility trend (termed anomalous solubility) of alkali-POMs, in which Nb is most soluble with the smallest (Li ) and largest (Rb/Cs ) alkalis, and least soluble with Na/K .

Solvent-Driven Transformation of Zn/Cd-Deoxycholate Assemblies.

Deoxycholic acid (DOC) is a unique, biologically derived surfactant with facial amphiphilicity that has been exploited, albeit minimally, in supramolecular assembly of materials. Here, we present the synthesis and structural characterization of three hybrid metal (Zn and Cd)-DOC compounds. Analysis by single-crystal X-ray diffraction reveals the many interactions that are possible between these facial surfactants and the influence of solvent molecules that drive the assembly of materials.