The team has a long tradition in the synthesis and characterization of polyoxometalates (POMs) and is especially recognized for its contribution to their functionalization. Syntheses are performed in aqueous solutions, as well as in non-aqueous solvents or ionic liquids, using conventional, hydrothermal, microwave or electro-cristallization processing. Characterization techniques include single-crystal X-ray diffraction, electrochemical methods, ESI spectrometry and a wide range of spectroscopic methods (UV-Vis-NIR, IR, Raman, EPR, (multinuclear) NMR, XANES and EXAFS).

Polyoxometalates are molecular nano-scale oxoclusters of the early transition metals with an unmatched range of physical and chemical properties and with many applications in both fundamental and applied science. Our current objectives are to synthesize and to study new generations of discrete POMs as well as POM-based materials with special emphasis on multifunctionality for applications in catalysis and materials science. Our research activity relies on two features of POMs :

 the properties of lacunary species, formally lacking one or several metal centers, which behave as all-inorganic ligands for various metallic cations, or which provide inorganic platforms for the building of organic-inorganic hybrids ;

 the ability of many POMs to accept and release specific numbers of electrons reversibly.

Our scientific interests now go beyond the scope of POM chemistry to include other areas of coordination chemistry, in particular with amidoxine ligands, and multifunctional molecular materials, notably organic-inorganic conductors.

Keywords Molecular inorganic chemistry, molecular materials (molecular conductors, molecular magnets, multiferroïcs), atom transfer reactions, solar energy conversion, multinuclear NMR.