The chloro bridged complexes [(2-phenylpyridine-C,N)2RhCl]2 and [(benzo[h]chinoline-C,N)2RhCl]2 react with the anions of alanine, valine and phenylalanine to give the chiral octahedral N,O-chelates L2Rh(α-aminocarboxylate) (1 -5) as mixtures of two diastereoisomers. The complex (benzo[h]chinoline-C,N)2Rh[(S)-NH2CH(CH3)CO2-N,0] was characterized by X-ray diffraction. Its crystals contain two diastereoisomers in the unit cell.