The high-valent ruthenium-containing {[PW11O39}(2){(HO)-Ru-IV-O-Ru-IV(OH)](10-) anion (1) has been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction and characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR, multinuclear (P-31 and W-183) NMR spectroscopy and electrochemistry. Single-crystal analysis was carried out on Rb-10[{PW11O39}(2){(HO)Ru-IV-O-Ru-IV(OH)}].21H(2)O, which crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1/n), with a = 11.1912(14), b = 21.9257(12), c = 38.7310(96) angstrom, beta = 94.682(19)degrees, V = 9472(3) angstrom(3), Z = 4. Polyanion 1 consists of two lacunary [alpha-PW11O39](7-) anions connected by a linear {(HO)-Ru-O-Ru(OH)}(4+) unit. Each ruthenium ion achieves six-coordination through interaction with two terminal oxo ligands from the lacuna of each [PW11O39](7-) anion. (c) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2008).