Synthesis and characterization of some imidazolium complexes of rhodium

Rhodium(III) chloride is found to form complexes of the types (LH)(2)[RhCl5 L].2H(2)O (L 'H)[RhCl4L ' (2)].2H(2)O and (L 'H)[RhCl4L ' (2)], where L = 2 -methylimidazole(2-MeIm), 1,2-dimethylimidazole (1,2-Me(2)Im); L ' = imidaz ole (Im), l-n-butylimidazole (1-n-BuIm). The compounds have been characteri zed by elemental analyses, molar conductance measurements, IR, UV-visible a nd H-1 NMR spectral studies. The compounds have octahedral geometry with py ridine nitrogen of imidazoles as donor site. Thermal studies indicate conti nuous loss of ligands with formation of Rh2O3 above 780 degreesC.