Cover Feature: Tuning the Reactivities of the Heteronuclear [AlnV3−nO7−n]+ (n=1, 2) Cluster Oxides towards Methane by Varying the Composition of the Metal Centers (Chem. Eur. J. 12/2019)

The catalytic activity of metal-oxide materials can be tuned by adjusting the local composition of the metal centers, as demonstrated by a gas-phase example. [Al2VO5]+ selectively breaks only one C−H bond with concomitant generation of a methyl group, either chemisorbed on an Al center or liberated at room temperature. By replacing one Al atom of [Al2VO5]+ with a V=O unit, the cluster [AlV2O6]+ gains a higher oxidizing ability such that it converts methane to formaldehyde. More information can be found in the Communication by S. Zhou et al. on page 2967.