Locking the absolute configuration of achiral amine ligand: A strategy for helicity introduction in coordination polymers

A novel coordination polymer {[Mn(m-cpdba)(H₂O) ₄]-H₂O}_n 1 has been synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that compound 1 contains one-dimensional single-stranded helical chains, in which the chirality of a stereo- chemically labile amine of the ligands can be locked by the Mn(II) ion via coordination bonds and transferred to the whole coordination polymeric chain, exhibiting an identical absolute configuration. Crystal data for 1: C₁₄H₁₇Mn₁N₃O₁₃, M _r = 490.25, space group C2/c, a = 18.5177(18), b = 6.6194(5), c = 31.563(4) Å, β = 105.046(5)°, Z= 8, V= 3736.2(7) ų, Dc= 1.743 g/cm³, F(000) = 2008 and μ = 0.786 mm^-1.