The first example of a cycloocta-1,3-diene ligand bound to rhodium; crystal structures of Rh(η 5 -C 5 Ph 5 )L (L = 1,3- or 1,5-C 8 H 12 )

Under reducing conditions [Rh(η5-C5Ph5)Br2]2 reacts with either cycloocta-1,3- or -1,5-diene to give predominantly Rh(η5-C5Ph5)(1,3-C8H12)1 together with a small amount (⩽15%) of Rh(η5-C5Ph5)(1,5-C8H12)2.