________________________________________________________________________________ SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 _________________ SCHEDULE TO-C Tender Offer Statement Under Section 14(d)(1) or 13(e)(1) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 _________________ CHIREX INC. (Name of Subject Company (Issuer)) _________________ COUSIN ACQUISITION, INC. RHODIA (Names of Filing Persons (Offeror)) Common Stock, Par Value $0.01 Per Share (including the associated Preferred Shares Purchase Rights) (Title of Class of Securities) 170038103 (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities) _________________ John P. Donahue Rhodia Inc. 259 Prospect Plains Road Cranbury, New Jersey 08512 (609) 860-4370 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications on Behalf of Filing Persons) _________________ Copy to: Hubertus V. Sulkowski Shearman & Sterling 114 avenue des Champs-Elysees 75008 Paris, France (33-1) 53-89-70-00 CALCULATION OF FILING FEE ================================================================================ Transaction Valuation Amount of Filing Fee - -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not applicable Not applicable ================================================================================ [_] Check the box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Rule 0- 11(a)(2) and identify the filing with which the offsetting fee was previously paid. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing. Amount Previously Paid:________________ Filing Party:___________________ Form or Registration No.:______________ Date Filed:_____________________ [X] Check the box if the filing relates solely to preliminary communications made before the commencement of a tender offer. Check the appropriate boxes below to designate any transactions to which the statement relates: [X] third-party tender offer subject to Rule 14d-1. [_] issuer tender offer subject to Rule 13e-4. [_] going-private transaction subject to Rule 13e-3. [_] amendment to Schedule 13D under Rule 13d-2. Check the following box if the filing is a final amendment reporting the results of the tender offer: [_] EXHIBIT INDEX Exhibit No. 99.1 Joint Press Release issued by Rhodia and ChiRex Inc. on July 24, 2000. 99.2 Presentation to analysts by Rhodia dated July 24, 2000. 99.3 Presentation to customers by Rhodia dated July 2000.