Neutral one-dimensional metal chains consisting of alternating anionic and cationic rhodium complexes.

The metallophilic interactions were investigated within chains of oppositely charged rhodium carbonyl complexes. The cationic [Rh(CO)(2)(L)](+) (L = 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline) and anionic [RhCl(2)(CO)(2)](-) units were self-assembled into one dimensional rhodium chains supported by electrostatic interactions. The array of Rh centers in {[Rh(CO)(2)(2,2'-bpy)][RhCl(2)(CO)(2)]}(n) was found to be nearly linear with a Rh···Rh···Rh angle of 170.927(11)° and Rh···Rh distances of 3.3174(5) Å and 3.4116(5) Å. The crystal structure of {[Rh(CO)(2)(1,10-phen)][RhCl(2)(CO)(2)]} consisted of two sets of crystallographically independent chains with slightly different Rh···Rh···Rh angles (17…