Helical supramolecular host with aquapores anchoring alternate molecules of helical water chainsDedicated to Professor C. N. R. Rao on his 70th birthday.Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: structural, spectral and magnetic data (Figs. S1-S5, Tables S1, S2). See http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/cc/b3/b316275c/

Unprecedented 1D helical chains of hydrogen bonded water molecules, showing both handedness and anchored onto a helical supramolecular host formed from the self assembly of a dicopper(II) complex (1) containing pentadentate Schiff base (L) and p-hydroxycinnamate in 1.2H(2)O, propagate along the crystallographic 2(1)-screw axis and the compound shows two endotherms due to loss of water molecules at 61.5 and 88.5 degrees C in the differential scanning calorimetry giving an overall change of enthalpy value of approximately 36 kJ mol(-1) per water molecule.