“…The photochemistry of polyoxometalates is of great interest to inorganic chemists. More than 80 years ago, it was found that the α-Keggin tungstate H 3 [PW 12 O 40 ] was reduced photochemically to yield a blue-colored species which was reoxidized by air and by various other oxidizing agents such as Fe 3+ , AgNO 3 , and H 2 O 2 . , The photoredox reactions of H 4 [SiW 12 O 40 ] and H 3 [PW 12 O 40 ] proceeded effectively in the presence of primary and secondary alcohols, their ethers and aldehydes, and proteins, but less effectively in the presence of tertiary alcohols, ketones, esters, the fatty acids above formic acid, and simple amines. , The basic photoredox reaction involving ethanol is illustrated by eq 1
In this reaction, one molecule of ethanol photochemically reduces two molecules of H 3 PW 12 O 40 and is itself oxidized to acetaldehyde.…”