Molecular tectonics: from a rigid achiral organic tecton to 3D chiral Co and Fe coordination networks.

An achiral organic tecton bearing four coordinating sites of the pyridyl type leads to the formation of iso-structural 3D helical coordination polymers when combined with Co(SCN) and Fe(SCN) achiral neutral complexes. Their formation occurs during the self-assembly process in the solid state, which leads to crystals composed of homochiral coordination polymers.