Crystal and molecular structure of trichloro(dimethyl sulphoxide)bispyridinerhodium(III)

The structure of the title complex has been determined by direct methods from X-ray diffractometer data. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P21/n, with a= 12.621(5), b= 8.805(3), c= 30.357(7)Å, β= 101.56(3)°, Z= 8.1 779 Observed reflections were used and the structure refined by least squares to R 0.048.The structure consists of discrete molecules of [RhCl3(dmso)(py)2] in which the Rh atoms are co-ordinated, in a nearly regualr octahedron, by three meridional chlorine atoms, two cis-nitrogen atoms from the pyridine, and the sulphur atom of the dimethyl sulphoxide. The molecules are linked by van der Waals interactions.