The determination of complexes formed in weakly acidic aqueous solutions containing pentavalent vanadium as well as hexavalent molybdenum has proved diffi cui t due to slow equilibria and 1 imi ted sol ubi 1 i ty of especially the vanadium species. The formation of several different polynuclear complexes with a very varied molybdenum/vanadium ratio also complicates the interpretation of Potentiometrie data. In order to clarify the picture of complexes formed and provide starting points for equilibrium calculations single-crystal X-ray studies were made on crystals obtained from âqueous solutions. In addition, these studies can provide information on bonding conditions and possibly formation mechanisms for molybdovanadate polyanions. Crystals were synthesized by slow evaporation of aqueous solutions. Solutions with varied molybdenum/vanadium ratios and also varied pH values were prepared and used in the synthesis experiments. The X-ray measurements were performed with Philips PAILRED, Syntex P21 and Syntex R3 automatic diffractometers. All data sets were corrected for absorption. Five of the structures were solved with heavy-atom methods and one by direct methods. The structures were refined by computer-performed least-squares methods. The following crystals were obtained and structurally determined: NaV03•1.89H2O, which contains chains of VO5 trigonal bipyramids. Na4V2O7 (H2O)18 , containing discrete V2O74- anions which are completely surrounded by sodium-coordinated water molecules. Discrete molybdovanadate polyanions were found in the structures of the compounds Na6Mo6\/2O26 (H2O)16 , K7Mo8V5O40 • 8H2O, K8Mo4,V8O36 - 12H20 and K6 (V2 , Mo10) VO40 • 13H20. The last substance belongs to a class of compounds named 'heteropoly blues', which contain metal atoms in mixed-valence states, and has one unpaired electron on the polyanion. This compound was also investigated with electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The bonding configurations of oxygen atoms coordinated to molybdenum or vanadium are described and discussed. As the Mo4V8O368-, Mo8V5O407- (which is an isomer of the Keggin anion but has a quite different structure) and Mo6V2O266- anions all contain remnants of mononuclear molybdate and vanadate anions, it seems likely that these polyanions are formed mainly through the condensation of mononuclear species.An electrostatic model for the simulation of bond distances in polyions, starting with perfectly regular idealized models, is presented. / <p>Härtill 6 delar.</p> / digitalisering@umu