Herein, we report two approaches to the synthesis of heterometallic complexes (NH4)(2n)(H(2)en)(n){[Cu(en)(2)][alpha-V2Mo6O26]}center dot 4nH(2)O (1), (NH4)(2){[Cu(dien)(H2O)](2)[alpha-V2Mo6O26]}center dot 5H(2)O (2) and (NH4)(2){[Cu(dien)(H2O)](2)[alpha-V2Mo6O26]}center dot 8H(2)O (3) that have been employed in homogeneous photochemical oxidation of water to dioxygen. In these hybrid metalorganic-inorganic compounds, copper-containing complex fragments are covalently bound to the rare vanadium-disubstituted alpha-octamolybdate cluster. They exhibit variable catalytic activity controlled by the local coordination environment of copper reaching a notably high turnover frequency of 0.24 s(-1) for 3 in combination with a relatively low water oxidation overpotential. The complexes have been also used as precursors for the preparation of mixed oxide phases that have proven to be active heterogeneous water oxidation catalysts.