A novel 12-vertex monocarbon hydridorhodacarborane closo-2,2-(Ph3P)(2)-2-H-1-(Me3N)-2,1-RhCB10H10 1 has been synthesized by the reaction of Rh(PPh3)(3)Cl (2) with nido-B10H12CNMe3 (3) under alkaline conditions. At low temperature 1 exists as a mixture of two preferred conformers in solution, both having C-s symmetry, in accord with the hindered rotation of the (Ph3P)(2)RhH vertex with respect to the CB, face of the monocarbon carborane cage. Complex 1 readily reacts with chlorine-containing reagents to form mononuclear 16-electron closo-2-(Ph3P)-2-Cl-1-(Me3N)-2,1-RhCB(10)H(1)0 (5), whose structure was unambiguously confirmed by an X-ray diffraction study. The results of an X-ray diffraction study of the closely related dicarbon carborane derivative closo-3,3-(Ph3P)(2)-3-Cl-3,1,2-RhC2B9H11 (10), prepared from closo-3,3-(Ph3P)(2)-3-H-3,1,2-RhC2B9H11 by analogy with 5, are also reported. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.