Preservation of chirality and polarity between chiral and polar building units in the solid state.

The new lamellar phases [Zn(2,2'-bpy)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ZrF(6))·3H(2)O (I) and [Ni(2,2'-bpy)(3)](MoO(2)F(4))·5H(2)O (II) (bpy = bipyridine), which are built from a chiral cation and respectively an inherently nonpolar and a polar anion, provide two contrasting structures with respect to chirality and polarity in the solid state. Each nonpolar layer of I contains enantiomers of both handednesses; conversely, each layer of II contains only a Δ or Λ enantiomer and polar anions oriented along the b or -b axes. A comparison with previously reported structures reveals which combinations and interactions between chiral and polar basic building units can preserve elements of polarity and chirality in the solid state.