Completely Stereospecific Self-Assembly of a Circular Helicate

A nanoscale turbine wheel is an apt description of the structure of the enantiomerically pure helicate [Ag6(L2)6]6+ (1), which precipitates as PF6 salt on mixing dissolved AgPF6 with the ligand L2 (a bis‐bidentate ligand comprising two condensed α‐pinene/bipyridine units linked by a xylylene bridge). The helicate has an outer diameter of about 3 nm and an inner diameter of 0.84 nm, and is a potential model for the study of stereospecific recognition processes.