Linking Chiral Clusters with Molybdate Building Blocks: From Homochiral Helical Supramolecular Arrays to Coordination Helices

The synthesis of four new oxo‐centered Fe clusters ( 1 a – c , 2 ) of the form Fe^III₃(μ₃‐O)(CH₂=CHCOO)₆] with acrylate as the bridging ligand gives rise to potentially intrinsically chiral oxo‐centered {M₃} trimers that show a tendency to spontaneously resolve upon crystallization. For instance, 1 a , Fe^III₃(μ₃‐O)(CH₂=CHCOO)₆‐(H₂O)₃]⁺, crystallizes in the chiral space group P3₁ as a chloride salt. Crystallization of 1 b , Fe₃(μ₃‐O)(C₂H₃CO₂)₆(H₂O)₃]NO₃?4.5H₂O, from aqueous solution followed by recrystallization from acetonitrile also gives rise to spontaneous resolution to yield the homochiral salt Fe₃(μ₃‐O)(C₂H₃CO₂)₆‐(H₂O)₃]NO₃?CH₃CN of 1 c (space group P2₁2₁2₁). Furthermore, the reaction of 1 a with hexamolybdate in acetonitrile gives the helical coordination polymer {(Fe₃(μ₃‐O)L₆(H₂O))(MoO₄)‐(Fe₃(μ₃‐O)L₆(H₂O)₂)]?2CH₃CN?H₂O}_∞ 2 (L: H₂C?CHCOO), which crystallizes in the space group P2₁. The nature of the ligand geometry allows the formation of atropisomers in both the discrete ( 1 a – c ) and linked {Fe₃} clusters ( 2 ), which is described along with a magnetic analysis of 1 a and 2 .