From giant molecular clusters and precursors to solid-state structures

Novel nanosized ring-shaped polyoxometalate and ligand-protected metal chal cogenide clusters provide versatile models for the study of molecular growt h processes, especially at the interface to solid-state chemistry. Besides their unusual electronic properties, their use as synthons or precursors fo r solid-state structures with tailored properties, such as mesoporosity, ra ises special interest for materials science (polyoxometalate case). (C) 199 9 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.