The lacunary α 2 -[As 2 W 17 O 61 ] 10− derived from the Dawson molecule α-[As 2 W 18 O 62 ] 6− was used as a ligand for the following metal cations: Mn 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ , Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ and Zn 2+ . The cyclic voltammograms of this lacunary precursor species, as well as those of the substituted complexes were run in a medium at pH = 3. A systematic comparison was carried out with the electrochemical characteristics of the corresponding complexes derived from α-[P 2 W 18 O 62 ] 6− , with the aim of highlighting the differences in their behaviour, which could be ascribed to the identity of the central atoms. The study was also extended to the Fe 3+ species of the α 1 series. The comparisons reveal that whatever the series, the first several