Unexpected formation of chiral single crystals of {NH(n-C3H7)3[MnIICrIII(C2O4)3]}, A 2D oxalate-based material

In an attempt to obtain chiral single crystals of a two-dimensional (2D) bimetallic oxalate-based material by enantioselective auto-assembling of Mn²⁺ and (rac)-Cr(C₂O₄)₃]^3? templated by the optically active complex (+)-(Rp)-1-CH₂(n-C₃H₇)₃-2-CH₃(C₅H₃)Fe(C₅H₅)]⁺, we obtained the unexpected 2D network species {NH(n-C₃H₇)₃MnCr(C₂O₄)₃]}. X-ray diffraction determination of the structure reveals that the complex crystallizes in the enantiomorphous space group P6₃. The interlayer spacing of 7.93?Å?is the lowest found so far for 2D, bimetallic, oxalate-bridged compounds.