Chiral uranium phosphonates constructed from achiral units with three-dimensional frameworks

Two chiral, porous uranium methylenediphosphonates, C(2)H(10)N(2)]{UO(2)CH(2)(PO(3))(2)]}·H(2)O (UC1P2N-1) and N(C(2)H(5))(4)]K{(UO(2))(3)CH(2)(PO(3))(2)](2)(H(2)O)(2)}·1.5H(2)O (KUC1P2-1), have been synthesized without chiral starting materials. Both compounds display channels ~1 × 1 nm that are large enough for these materials to conduct ion-exchange with coordination complexes such as Co(en)(3)](3+).