Crystal packing modes were compared for the active and the corresponding racemic crystals obtained for various representative compounds. In the case of 1,1’-binaphthyl, the molecular conformation itself was different in the two crystal forms. For metal complexes of D-3 symmetry with three-bladed propeller shape, there appear to be only a few favoured crystal packing modes, which is in good agreement with our dispersion energy calculations. Using CD spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, chiral discriminations of optically labile chromium complexes of D-3 symmetry have been investigated in the solid and the solution states.