Neutral and cationic Rh(dmbpy) systems (dmbpy = 4,4Ј-dimethyl-2,2Ј-bipyridine) were synthesized starting from different metal precursors. [RhCl(dmbpy)(DMSO)] (3) was obtained either from the ethylene precursor [RhCl(dmbpy)(C 2 H 4 )] (1) or directly from [Rh 2 Cl 2 (COE) 4 ] (COE = cyclooctene) in DMSO. The neutral isocyanide complex [RhCl(dmbpy){CNC(CH 3 ) 3 }] (4) was obtained by reaction of 1 with tert-butyl isocyanide. Reaction of dmbpy with [Rh(DMSO) 4 ]PF 6 gave the corresponding cationic complex [Rh(dmbpy)(DMSO) 2 ]PF 6 (5), and the cationic system [Rh(dmbpy){CNC(CH 3 ) 3 } 2 ]BF 4 (6) was prepared starting from [Rh(dmbpy)(HD)]BF 4 (2) (HD = 1,5-hexadiene). All of these complexes were found to activate the C−Cl bond in benzyl