Template and Guest Effects on the Self-Assembly of a Neutral and Homochiral Helix.

Coordination-driven assembly based on manganese(II) centers and flexible 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)propane leads to the solid-state formation of electronically neutral, self-templated homochiral helices, closed ring structures, and racemic mixtures of helices depending upon the presence or absence of guests such as benzene and 1,2-diphenylethane.