The synthesis and characterisation of two new watersoluble Rh I mononuclear 1,4-diazabutadiene (DAD s ) complexes of general formula: [Rh(DAD s -R)(COD)], where (DAD s = sulfonated-tagged-1,4-diazabutadiene, COD = cyclooctadiene; and R = H or C 10 H 8 ), are described. The rhodium(I) complexes were obtained via a complexation reaction of [Rh(COD)(MeCN) 2 ]BF 4 with the sulfonated α-diimine (DAD) ligands, which were previ-ouslyobtainedfromaSchiffbasecondensationreactionof4-aminophenol with either 1,2-ethanedione or acenapthenequinone. All rhodium complexes and their precursor ligands were character- [a]