Interaction between water-soluble rhodium complex RhCl(CO)(TPPTS)2 and surfactants probed by spectroscopic methods

► UV-vis, fluorescence and 1H NMR were used to investigate the interaction between surfactants and water-soluble rhodium complex. ► Fluorescence spectrometry was firstly used to investigate this system. ► A possible interaction mechanism of water-soluble rhodium complex with cationic surfactants was proposed.