Mechanism for chiral recognition of a prochiral center and for asymmetric induction in asymmetric syntheses of .alpha.-amino acids using chiral cobalt(III) complexes. Crystal and molecular structures of (.alpha.-amino-.alpha.-methylmalonato)(4,6-dimethyl-1,9-diamino-3,7-diazanonane)cobalt perchlorate monohydrate and (.alpha.-amino-.alpha.-methylmalonato)(6,8-dimethyl-2,5,9,12-tetraazatridecane)cobalt bromide trihydrate