It is a yellow, water-soluble solid.

The salt is an intermediate in the purification of rhodium from its ores.

As shown by X-ray crystallography, the salt consists of the octahedral complex [RhCl(NH3)5]2+ and two chloride counterions.

[1] It forms from the reaction of rhodium trichloride and ammonia in ethanol.

Treatment of [RhCl(NH3)5]Cl2 with zinc dust in the presence of ammonia gives the hydride complex [RhH(NH3)5]2+.