The reactions of the complexes [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)Cl
2]
2 and [Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)Cl
2]
2 with the ligandsPhosphito-N ((
S)-8-((3,5-dioxa-4-phosphacyclohepta[2,1-a;3,4-a
']dinaphthalen-4-yl)oxy)quinoline, (
S)-
1) and Phosphonito-N ((
R)-8-(3,5-dioxa-4-phosphacyclohepta[2,1-a;3,4-a']dinaphthalen-4-yl)quinoline, (
R)-
2) were investigated. The reactions of (
S)-
1 with [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)Cl
2]
2and [Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)Cl
2]
2 give the complexes [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)(
S-
1)Cl
2] (
3) and [Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)(
S-
1)Cl
2] (
5).Treatment of
3 and
5 with NH
4PF
6 promoted thechelation process of the P-coordinated ligand (
S)-
1,affording the corresponding chelate complexes [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)(
S-
1)Cl]PF
6 (
4) and [Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)(
S-
1)Cl]PF
6(
6) with high stereoselectivity. The absolute configurationof the major diastereoisomer
6a was determined by X-raydiffractometry. The reaction of (
R)-
2 with [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)Cl
2]
2 and [Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)Cl
2]
2 afforded in one potthe chelate complexes [Ru(
6-
p-cymene)(
R-
2)Cl]Cl (
7) and[Rh(
5-C
5Me
5)(
R-
2)Cl]Cl (
8); the latter was obtained asthe only diastereoisomer. The asymmetric induction andthe configurational stability at the metal center of thecationic half-sandwich ruthenium and rhodium diastereoisomers are considered.