Copper(II) carboxylate tetramers formed from an enantiopure ligand containing a pi-stacking supramolecular synthon: single-crystal to single-crystal enantioselective ligand exchange

An enantiopure ligand built from connecting the pi center dot center dot center dot pi stacking 1,8-naphthalimide supramolecular synthon with L-asparagine, L-asn(-), forms tetrameric [Cu-4(L-asn)(8)(py)(MeOH)]. The methanol ligand, located in a chiral pocket, is replaced enantioselectively when exposed to racemic ethyl lactate vapor to yield [Cu-4(L-asn)(8)(py)((S)-ethyl lactate)], in a single-crystal to single-crystal gas/solid transformation.