The kinetics of interaction between glycyl -glycine (L -L 0 H) and [Rh(H 2 O) 5 OH] 2 þ have been studied spectrophotometrically in aqueous medium as a function of [Rh(H 2 O) 5 OH] 2 þ ], [glycyl -glycine], pH and temperature at constant ionic strength. At pH 4.3, the interaction with glycyl -glycine shows two parallel paths: both processes are ligand-dependent. The rate constant for the processes are: k 1 *10 À3 s À 1 and k 2 *10 À5 s À 1 . The activation parameters calculated from Eyring plots are: DH = 1 ¼ 26:7+0:3 kJ mol À 1 , DS = 1 ¼ À207+1 J K À1 mol À 1 , DH = 2 ¼ 92:4+1:3 kJ mol À 1 and DS = 2 ¼ À42+4 J K À1 mol À 1 . The ligand glycyl -glycine, with different donor atoms (N and O), attacks two rhodium(III) ions (Rh(III) being a borderline acid), with different reactivity. Based on the kinetic and activation parameters, an associative interchange mechanism is proposed for both interaction processes. From the temperature dependence of the outer-sphere association equilibrium constant, the thermodynamic parameters calculated are: DH 1 8 ¼ 21:8+1:9 kJ mol À 1 , DS 1 8 ¼ 124+6 J K À1 mol À 1 , DH 2 8 ¼ 12:7+0:5 kJ mol À 1 and DS 2 8 ¼ 89+2 J K À1 mol À 1 which give a negative DG8 value for both the steps at all temperatures studied, supporting the spontaneous formation of an outersphere association complex for both the parallel paths. The product of the reaction has been characterized from IR and ESI-mass spectroscopic analysis.