The {Mo154} nanowheel ([(Mo)Mo5Mo5O33.(H2O)5].(H2O)n) is shown below [1182] without any linked water molecules. It is torus-shaped with seven-fold symmetry and highly hydrophilic surfaces. There are 14 pentagonal (MoVI)MoVI5 groups, alternating with seven on each side of the wheel.
The arrangement of water around {Mo154} nanowheels is similar to the icosahedral clustering proposed in water. Two {Mo154} nanowheels are shown below surrounded by their water clusters and by linking through two pentagonal boxes, with one associated with each [(Mo)Mo5Mo5O33.(H2O)5] anchor point.
Two {Mo154}2 dimers are shown below, forming a tetramer {Mo154}4, stabilized by four of the hydrogen-bonded linking water clusters. The cluster only has its hydration water that may be concerned with linking {Mo154} nanowheels with the remaining hydration water removed for clarity.
The nanosphere's final assembly is made up of distorted hexagons in such a way that undistorted pentagons and hexagons are also formed (see below where only the skeleton of the 90 nm diameter nanosphere is shown).
These animations use Jmol: an open-source Java viewer for chemical structures in 3D. Use the mouse for control.
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This page was established in 2007 and last updated by Martin Chaplin on 5 August, 2021
