FORMATION OF A CLUSTER SHEATH AROUND A CENTRAL CLUSTER BY A SELF-ORGANIZATION PROCESS - THE MIXED-VALENCE POLYOXOVANADATE [V34O82]10-

An ellipsoid shell consisting of 30 linked tetragonal VO5 pyramids surrounding a distorted {V4O4}O4 cube-this is one way to describe the title compound (right:solid circles, V; empty circles, O). This cluster is not only of topological interest, however. Its magnetic properties make it a molecular model of the monoclinic and the tetragonal VO2 phase. If the cluster structure is roughly regarded as a cubic close packing of oxygen atoms with vanadium atoms occupying the octahedral holes, then its relationship to the solid is clear.