Two layered gallophosphates assembled about the chiral metal complexes: Co(en)3·Ga3P4O16·5H2O and trans−Co(dien)2·Ga3P4O16·3H2O

Two new layered gallophosphates Co(en)₃·Ga₃P₄O₁₆·5H₂O (1) and trans-Co(dien)₂·Ga₃P₄O₁₆·3H₂O (2) have been hydrothermally synthesized using the racemic mixture of chiral metal complex Co(en)₃Cl₃ and Co(dien)₂Cl₃ as the structure-directing agent, respectively. Their structures are determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by X-ray power diffraction, ICP, elemental, and TG analyses. The structures of 1 and 2 consist of vertex-linking GaO₄ and PO₃(=O) tetrahedral units forming macroanionic [Ga₃P₄O₁₆]³⁻ sheets with a 4.6-net. The 4.6-net is characteristic of chiral [3.3.3] propellane-like structural motifs. The sheets of 1 stack in an ABAB sequence, with a pair of enantiomers of chiral Co(en)₃³⁺ cations residing in the interlayer region. The sheets of 2 array in a helical fashion with an ABCDEF stacking sequence, with only one enantiomer of chiral Co(dien)₂³⁺ cations residing in the interlayer region. Structural elucidation of 1 and 2 reveals that there exist stereo-specific correspondence between the metal complex template and the structure of the inorganic host. Crystal data: 1, Co(en)₃·Ga₃P₄O₁₆·5H₂O, orthorhombic, Pnna (No. 52), a=8.6618(2) Å, b=21.6071(5) Å, c=13.7426(4) Å, Z=4, R₁=0.0337 (I>2σ(I)), wR₂=0.0985 (all data); 2, Co(dien)₂·Ga₃P₄O₁₆·3H₂O, hexagonal, P6₅22 (No. 179), a=8.5152(7) Å, b=8.5152(7) Å, c=63.278(8) Å, R₁=0.1183 (I>2σ(I)), wR₂=0.2864 (all data) and Z=6.