Asymmetric terminal ligation on substituted sites in a disorder-free Keggin anion, [β-SiFe2W10O36(OH)2(H2O)Cl]5-

A new monomeric diiron beta-Keggin derivative, [(CH3),NH2](5)[beta-SiFe2W10O36(OH)(2)(H2O)Cl]center dot 7H(2)O (1) with non-adjacent substituted sites has been obtained in good yield by reaction of Fe(III) cations with [gamma-SiW10O36](8-) in aqueous solution. The use of hydrogen bonding counter-cations produced a disorder-free polyanion. This situation facilitates unequivocal identification of the terminal ligands on Fe atoms and interpretation of the magnetic properties, which are also addressed by DFT calculations. Electrochemical studies establish that 1 can be step-wise reduced by two electrons and then reversibly oxidized.