Predetermined Chirality at Metal Centers

Asymmetric synthesis in coordination chemistry was described very clearly by Smirnoff in 1920, but, contrary to the development in organic chemistry, it was almost completely neglected for several decades. The interest in chirality in coordination chemistry (see the stereoview of [Ru(bpy)3]2+) has increased rapidly in recent times as a consequence of developments in several fields where chirality is important (polynuclear systems, supramolecular structures, and enantioselective catalysis). Here we show many examples of how, through the choice of ligand, the configuration of a metal center or the chirality of a helicate can be predetermined.