A ligand-conformation driving chiral generation and symmetry-breaking crystallization of a zinc(II) organoarsonate

An unusual ligand-conformation driving chiral generation and symmetry-breaking crystallization occurred simultaneously in the formation of a layered zinc(II) arsonate Zn(Hcapa)(4,4'-bipy) (1P) and its enantiomorph (1M) without any chiral sources, indicating that the asymmetrical crystallization of the coordination polymer from achiral precursors may be induced by the conformation control of the ligand.