The crystal structure of (+)ssg[Co(biguanide)3]CI3.H20 has been determined from 2161 reftexions collected by counter methods. The red crystals are orthorhombic, space group C2221, with a = 18-675 (9), b= 14.086 (7), and c= 15.004 (7) /~. The measured density is 1.65 (2) g cm -3 which agrees with the calculated density of 1-637 for Z= 8. The absorption corrected data gave a conventional R value of 0-021 on full-matrix least-squares refinement which included the hydrogen atoms. Bonding to cobalt in the six-coordinate tris(bidentate chelate) complex is through the terminal NH functions of the ligand, the average Co-N distance is 1.912 (3) A. The carbon-nitrogen bond distances and valence bond numbers are N(ligand)-C, 1.282 (2), 1.5; C-N(ring), 1.365 (5), 1.2; and C-N(terminal), 1.353 (4), 1-3. The chelate ring is only approximately planar with displacements near 0.1 ,~ of the cobalt, a ligand nitrogen and the ring nitrogen from the least-squares planes. The absolute configuration of the complex is A. This result shows that the exciton method of determining absolute configuration from the ultraviolet components of the circular dichroism spectrum is not generally applicable.