The synthesis is described of a series of new iridate and rhodate complexes Li(L-C,N),M(cod) (M = Rh, Ir; cod = cycloocta-1,5-diene) containing the orrho-chelating, mono-anionic, arylamine ligands L = C,H,CH,NR,-2 (R = Me, Et), C,H&H,NMe,-2-Me-5, C,H,CH(Me)NMe,-(R)-2 or C,H,CH,NMe('Bu)-2. The synthetic procedure for the -ate complexes from [MCl(cod& depends on the solubility of the starting aryllithium compound in benzene-an indirect effect of the bulky organic group on the N-donor atom. All the -ate complexes are formed diastereoselectively (and in the case of C,H,CH(Me)NMe,_(R)-2, enantioselectively). 'H and 13C NMR spectroscopies show the -ate complexes to be monomeric, heterobimetallic species. The 13C NMR data show clearly that CipsO is bridging between the late transition metal and the lithium centre. Consequbntly, this Cipso atom is chiral, and its configuration is stabilized by intramolecular coordination of the N-donor atom of the o&o-amine substituent. The -ate complexes are fluxional with differences in fluxionality (which involve N-dissociation/association, pyramidal inversion at N and rotation around the C,,,-N bond) that can be attributed to differences in the bulk of the groups on the nitrogen atom.