Bimetallic palladium(II)-rhodium(I) and gold(I)-rhodium(I) complexes of the type [(4,4'-Me
2-bipy)(C
6F
5)Pd(
-PPh
3-nPy
n)Rh(diene)](BF
4)
2 and [(C
6F
5)Au(
-PPh
3-nPy
n)Rh(diene)](BF
4) (
n = 2, 3; Py = 2-pyridyl) ha
ve been synthesized.The P donor atom of the bridging ligands (
-PPh
3-nPy
n) is coordinated to the Pd or to the Au center. The resultingcomplexes react with [Rh(diolefin)(sol
v)
2]
+ (sol
v = acetone) in a way similar to pyrazolylborates, affording square-planar or pentacoordinated rhodium complexes with two or the three N-donor ends chelating the Rh atom. Themetallacycles formed upon chelation can adopt one of two conformations in the square-planar Rh(I) complexes,either bringing the other metal close to the Rh center or bringing it to a remote position. The first conformation ispreferred for the gold P-coordinated complexes and the second for the palladium complexes. The X-ray structuresof [(4,4'-Me
2-bipy)](C
6F
5)Pd(
-PPhPy
2)Rh(COD)](BF
4)
2 (COD = 1,5 cyclooctadiene) and [Au(C
6F
5)(
-PPhPy
2)Rh(TFB)](BF
4) (TFB = 5,6,7,8-tetrafuoro-1,4-dihydro-1,4-etenonaphthalene) are reported.