Recent advances in crystalline hydrated borates with non-metal or transition-metal complex cations

Structural aspects of crystalline hydrated polyborate salts containing polyborate anions partnered with either cationic transition-metal complexes or non-metal (organic) cations are documented. The structures are described in terms of Christ and Clark's and Burns' descriptors. The review, which concentrates on the period 2000-2015, also describes synthetic approaches (hydrothermal, solvothermal, flux methods) and physical and spectroscopic properties of the polyborate salts. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.