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Polyoxometalate
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a>, a polyoxometalate (abbreviated POM) is a <a href="/facts/Polyatomic_ion/FcPWAyLm">polyatomic ion</a>, usually an <a href="/facts/Anion/wrbwhF3z">anion</a>, that consists of three or more <a href="/facts/Transition_metal/0slGWoLQ">transition metal</a> <a href="/facts/Oxyanions/0GuWXr6D">oxyanions</a> linked together by shared <a href="/facts/Oxygen/acyn6o8r">oxygen</a> atoms to form closed 3-dimensional frameworks. The metal atoms are usually <a href="/facts/Group_6_element/s8cA1Rwd">group 6</a> (Mo, W) or less commonly <a href="/facts/Group_5_element/C08aMlur">group 5</a> (<a href="/facts/Vanadium/UvKkKTSm">V</a>, <a href="/facts/Niobium/3zNI8AKp">Nb</a>, <a href="/facts/Tantalum/VwaxMm33">Ta</a>) and <a href="/facts/Group_7_element/C1kHt0oD">group 7</a> (<a href="/facts/Technetium/MGYWNI5d">Tc</a>, <a href="/facts/Rhenium/TzyqJYEn">Re</a>) transition metals in their high <a href="/facts/Oxidation_state/W53W6s6V">oxidation states</a>. Polyoxometalates are often colorless, orange or red <a href="/facts/Diamagnetic/dgFavn9K">diamagnetic</a> <a href="/facts/Anion/wrbwhF3z">anions</a>. Two broad families are recognized, isopolymetalates, composed of only one kind of metal and <a href="/facts/Oxide/DXtoVe1C">oxide</a>, and <a href="/facts/Heteropolymetalate/rQyeQAYM">heteropolymetalates</a>, composed of one or more metals, oxide, and eventually a main group oxyanion (<a href="/facts/Phosphate/FDGVCxUG">phosphate</a>, <a href="/facts/Silicate/7NdthSRM">silicate</a>, etc.). Many exceptions to these general statements exist. </p>