Polyoxometalates (POMs) are anionic nano-molecules made by highly oxidized metals and oxygen, whose structure can be easily controlled changing synthetic conditions. Thanks to their robustness, simple POMs are regularly used in industrial processes as Brønsted acids or oxidants. With the aim to rationally design new hybrid POM-based Brønsted acid catalysts for asymmetric catalysis (artificial enzymes), we functionalized the inorganic framework (P₂W₁₅V₃O₆₂)^9- with organic moieties (amides and ureas) to understand how the POM can influence the acid activity of the organo ligands. We established that the POM allows to improve the acidity of the protons in the organo-ligands thanks to its electrowithdrawing character and its property to act as electron reservoir.

In parallel, the lacunary (a₁/a₂-P₂W₁₇O₆₁)^10- POMs were functionalized with polyglycines chains of different lengths to understand through high-field NMR studies and Molecular Dynamics simulations which are the critical factors governing the intramolecular interactions in solution between polypeptides and the POM surface. The polyoxometalate rigidifies the peptide chains, acting as H-bonding acceptor versus the amidic protons of the lateral chain. We also demonstrated that the interaction is a function of the peptide chain length, the lacuna position on the POM and the amidic proton position on the lateral chain.