μ(2)-m-Xylylenebis(salicylaldiminato)-bis-(η(4)-1,5-cyclo-octa-diene)dirhodium(I) dichloro-methane solvate.

In the title solvate, [Rh(2)(C(22)H(18)N(2)O(2))(C(8)H(12))(2)]·CH(2)Cl(2), each organometallic mol-ecule is composed of two Rh(I) cations, the tetra-dentate dianion α,α'-bis-(salicylaldiminato)-m-xylene and two 1,5-cyclo-octa-diene (COD) ligands. Each Rh(I) atom is coordinated by one O atom [Rh-O = 2.044†(2) and 2.026†(2)†à ], one N atom [Rh-N = 2.083†(2) and 2.090†(2)†à ], and one COD ligand via two η(2)-bonds, each directed toward the mid-point of a C=C bond (Cg): Rh-Cg = 2.007†(2), 2.013†(2), 2.000†(2) and 2.021†(2)†à . Each Rh(I) atom has a quasi-square-planar coordination geometry, with average r.m.s. deviations of 0.159†(1) and 0.204†(1)†à from the mean planes defined by Rh and the termini of its four coordinating bonds. The two COD ligands have quasi-C(2) symmetry, twisted from ideal C(2v) symmetry by 30.0†(3) and -33.1†(3)°, and are quasi-enanti-omers of one another. The intra-molecular Rh⋯Rh distance of 5.9432†(3)†à suggests that there is no direct metal-metal inter-action.