Mesoporous polyoxometalate cluster-crosslinked organosilica frameworks delivering exceptionally high photocatalytic activity

Mesoporous framework materials comprising lacunary [SiW11O39](8-) polyoxometalate clusters covalently connected by ethane-bridged silsesquioxane linkers were synthesized through a block copolymer-templated cross-linking polymerization of 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane in acid solution. These new hybrid materials, which exhibit a high density of catalytic sites, large pore surface and ordered pore structure, are shown to be highly effective in the photocatalytic oxidation of aryl alcohols with molecular oxygen.