THE PHENOMENON OF CONGLOMERATE CRYSTALLIZATION .34. CRYSTAL-STRUCTURES OF THE CONGLOMERATE S-ALPHA-LAMBDA(DELTA-LAMBDA-DELTA)-CO(EDDA)(NO2)2] AND OF THE RACEMATE HA-LAMBDA(DELTA-LAMBDA-DELTA)-CO-(EDDA)(NO2)2].H2O (EDDA = ETHYLENEDIAMINE-N,N'-DIACETATE)

A racemic solution of K[cis-alpha-Co(edda)(NO2)2] 1 (edda = ethylenedi amine-N,N'-diacetate) was found to crystallize as a conglomerate in th e enantiomorphic, orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). An acidified solution of it produced racemic crystals of K[cis-alpha-Co(edda)(NO2) 2].H2O 2, space group P1BAR, as well as conglomerate crystals of 1. Th eir crystal structures and the absolute configuration of 1 were determ ined. In both species the anions form infinite strings which are linke d to one another by the potassium cations (and/or waters, where releva nt, 2). With 1 the helical strings are homochiral, while with 2 pairs of spiral strings have opposite helical chirality, as expected from th e fact that they are related to one another by an inversion centre.