En route from the mystery of molybdenum blue via related manipulatable building blocks to aspects of materials science

From a unique library containing molybdenum-oxide based building blocks/fragments under reducing conditions in aqueous solution a huge variety of nanoobjects, allowing specific reactions at well-defined positions, can be generated. This enables us to perform a new type of nanochemistry. Examples include: the well-known molecular big-wheel of the type {Mo-154} and its derivatives and the molecular big-sphere of the type {Mo-132}, the derivatives of which are considered here. In addition the by far largest structurally well characterized cluster with the shape of a lemon is also discussed. After solving the mystery of molybdenum blue, which was the starting point of this type of chemistry, it became evident that the acquired knowledge could be useful for advancing the frontiers of materials science. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.