Thyminate(2-)-bridged cyclic tetranuclear rhodium(III) complexes formed by a template of a sodium, calcium or lanthanoid ion.

In the thyminate(2-)-bridged tetranuclear Cp*Rh(III) complexes incorporating a Na(+), Ca(2+) or Ln(3+) cation, homochiral aggregation of four Rh(III) centres was achieved to form metallacalix[4]arene-type clusters. The thyminate(2-) bridged two Rh(III) and the third metal ion with a μ3-1κN(1):2κ(2)N(3),O(2):3κO(2) mode in the Na(+) and Ca(2+) complexes, while in the Ln(3+) analogues it exhibited a different bridging mode, μ3-1κN(1):2κ(2)N(3),O(4):3κO(2).