Chiral packing of chiral quintuple layers polycatenated to give a three-dimensional network in the coordination polymer [Co5(bpe)9(H2O)8(SO4)4](SO4)·14H2O [bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane]

The reaction of cobalt(II) sulfate with 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane gives a crystalline polymeric species comprised of chiral quintuple layers with five decks of linear chains rotated by 120° from level to level, that are perpendicularly joined via five-metal helical motifs; furthermore, each of these two-dimensional frames is catenated by the neighbouring layers to give an overall three-dimensional chiral nanoporous architecture.