Acidic rhodium(III) chloride solutions pretreated with SnCl2 at a ratio Sri(II):Rh(III) = 3 are contacted with an alkylated 8-hydroxyquinoline (Kelex 100) to prepare loaded organics which subsequently are subjected to stripping with Na2SO3-HCl solutions. Rh(III) was found to be stripped selectively involving the following reaction: [RhCl3(SnCl3)(3)(H(2)Q)(3)]((aq)) + 2HSO(3)(-) --> RhCl2(SO3)(2)(3-) + 2H(+) + Cl- + 3[SnCl3.H(2)Q]((org)) where H(2)Q is the protonated form of kelex 100. Direct characterization of the stripped complex and slope analysis confirmed this stripping reaction. Equilibrium was reached within 20 min. A kinetic analysis found the stripping process to be irreversible and to be controlled most probably by the slow release of SnCl3- ligand from the intermediate Rh-Q-SO3-SnCl3 organic complex. (C) 2004 Society of Chemical Industry.