trans-dichloro(meso-2,3,7,11,12-pentamethyl-3,7,11,17-tetraazabicyclo[11.3.1]heptadeca-1(17),13,15-triene-kappa N-4 (3,7,11,17))rhodium(III) hexafluorophosphate

In the title compound, [RhCl2 (C18H32N4)]PF6, the Rh-III ion lies at the ce ntre of a distorted octahedron of two axial chloride and four equatorial az a ligands. Within estimated error, the complex cation possesses non-crystal lographic mirror symmetry. The Rh-Cl distances of 2.345 (3) and 2.349 (3) A ngstrom are equivalent, as are the three Rh-Nsp(3) distances [mean 2.145 (7 ) Angstrom]. The Rh-Nsp(2) distance is much shorter at 1.964 (7) Angstrom, reflecting the different hybridization of this donor atom. The four N atoms are not coplanar, and the metal ion lies out of the N-4 plane by 0.013 (3) Angstrom, suggesting that, with an ionic radius of 0.805 Angstrom, the Rh- III ion is somewhat large for the macrocyclic cavity.