Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 February 2011
Reduction of aqueous solutions of tungstates, molybdates or vanadates byaqueous alkali metal borohydrides at ambient‐temperature results in aformation of dark colored gel. The gel is amorphous to X‐ray diffraction andcrystallizes sharply at around 300‐500 °C to yield reduced transition metaloxides such as the oxide bronzes, NaxMyOz,or the binary oxides, MO2 (M = V, Mo or W). The nature andcomposition of the products formed are strongly influenced by the reactionconditions such as the reaction pH as well as the concentration and amountof the reagents. Experimental procedures to obtain the different phases arepresented. This novel low‐temperature approach has a potential to access newmetastable phases.