metal-organic compounds
Two isomeric complexes, bis[N-(carbamoylethyl)-β-alaninato-O1,N,O3]copper(II) hydrate, (1), and bis[N-(carbamoylethyl)-α-alaninato-O1,N,O3]copper(II) hydrate, (2), both [Cu(C6H11N2O3)2].H2O, were found to crystallize in different space groups. The structure containing a chiral C atom, (2), crystallizes in the polar C2 space group, while the structure with no chiral centre, (1), crystallizes in the centrosymmetric C2/c space group.