Chiral-layered metal phosphonate formed via spontaneous resolution showing dehydration-induced antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic transformation.

Metal phosphonates M (II){(2-C 5H 4N)CH 2NHCH 2PO 3} (H 2O) [M = Mn ( 1), Cd ( 2)] with chiral-layered structures are obtained by spontaneous resolution using achiral starting materials. The magnetic behavior of 1 is transformed from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic upon dehydration.