The crystal structures of rac- and Lambda-[M-III(tn)(3)]P3O9 center dot nH(2)O (M = Co, Cr; tn = 1,3-diaminopropane = trimethylenediamine; P3O9 = cyclotriphosphate(3-))were determined by single-crystal X-ray analyses. In rac-[Co(tn)(3)]P3O9 center dot 7.3H(2)O, the [Co(tn)(3)](3+) cations with the same absolute configuration (Delta or Lambda) and the P3O93- anions are alternately arrayed and connected by multiple NH center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds to form a homochiral columnar structure. Adjacent homochiral columns with opposite chirality are connected by intercolumn hydrogen bonds to form a racemic pair of columns. The crystal structure of rac-[Cr(tn)(3)]P3O9 center dot 7.5H(2)O is similar to that of the Co complex; however, there exist two types of racemic pairs of columns. In the crystal of Lambda-[Co(tn)(3)]P3O9 center dot 2.5H(2)O, a pair of columns consisting of alternately stacked Lambda-[Co(tn)(3)](3+) cations and P3O93- anions are linked by hydrogen bonds. Neighboring column pairs are further linked by hydrogen bonds to form a three-dimensional (3-D) sheet structure. The crystal structure of Lambda-[Cr(tn)(3)]P3O9 center dot 2.5H(2)O is isomorphous with the Co complex. The circular dichroism (CD) spectra of aqueous solutions of Lambda-[M(tn)(3)]Br-3 (M = Co, Cr) change when P3O93- is added, and the changes were explained by ion pair formation through hydrogen bonds.