Tetradentate ligands are obtained by joining two optically active [4,5]-pineno-2,2'-bipyridine molecules in a stereoselective reaction, where two new stereogenic centers are created. These ligands are new members of the chiragen family that form OC-6 complexes with predetermined helical chirality. Ru(II) complexes with 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine occupying the remaining coordination sites have been synthesized with all three new ligands. Characterization of the ruthenium complexes by NMR spectroscopy confirm C(2)-symmetric structures in solution. CD spectra show that the complexes are composed of only one helical diastereomer with the expected absolute configurations. In addition, a strong chiral amplification is observed, if precursors of low enantiomeric purity are used. This is due to the inability of ligands that are heterochiral in the two bpy moieties to coordinate to one center. X-ray structural data were obtained for the complex Delta-[RuCG[o-xyl](4,4'-DMbpy)](PF(6))(2). Crystal data (Mo Kalpha, 298 K): trigonal, space group R3, a = 52.986(4) Å, c = 10.545(1) Å, V = 25639(4) Å(3), Z = 18, R1 = 0.087, and wR2 = 0.0986 for 2609 observed reflections.

The molecular structure and crystal-packing mode of the enantiopure chiral building blocks Delta-[Ru(bpy)(2)(py)(2)][(+)-O,O'-dibenzoyl-D-tartrate].12H(2)O (I) and Lambda-[Ru(bpy)(2)(py)(2)][(-)-O,O'-dibenzoyl-L-tartrate].12H(2)O (II) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. This study proposes a model of how the L- and D-dibenzoyltartrate anions recognize the chirality of the hydrophobic [Ru(bpy)(2)(py)(2)](2+) complex. The monoclinic unit cell contains four complex cations, four tartrate anions, and 48 water molecules. Since there are no possibilities to form hydrogen bonds between the cations and anions, chiral recognition is due to crystal packing. Two benzoyl rings of two different tartrate anions are gripping the two bpy-planes of the Ru-complex. Further a third benzoyl ring from a tartrate anion is packed between the two pyridine rings, favoring one enantiomeric form to crystallize from aqueous solution. Crystal structure data for I at 153 K: a = 15.342(3) A, b = 19.200(4) A, c = 18.872(4) A, beta = 104.841(3) degrees, monoclinic space group C(2), R(1)= 0.0239 (I > 2sigma(I)), R(2) = 0.0606, Flack parameter = 0.0115 (with esd 0.0166). For II at 293 K: a = 15.376(4) A, b = 19.388(11) A, c = 19.085(7) A, beta = 105.11(2) degrees, monoclinic space group C121, R(1)= 0.0686 (I > 2sigma(I)), R(2) = 0.1819, Flack parameter = -0.0100 (with esd 0.0521).