Chiral Hexanuclear Ferric Wheels

The homochiral iron­(III) wheels [Fe6{(S)-pedea}6Cl6] and [Fe6{(R)-pedea)}6Cl6] [(R)- and (S)-2; pedea = phenylethylaminodiethoxide] exhibit high optical activities and antiferromagnetic exchange. These homochiral products react with each other, producing the centrosymmetric, crystallographically characterized [Fe6{(S)-pedea}3{(R)-pedea}3Cl6] diastereomer [(RSRSRS)-2]. 1H NMR and UV–vis studies indicate that exchange processes are slow in both homo- and heterochiral systems but that, upon combination, the reaction between (R)- and (S)-2 occurs quickly.