Monomeric, volatile bivalent amides of group IV B elements, M(NR 1 2 ) 2 and M(NR 1 R 2 ) 2 (MGe, Sn, or Pb; R 1 Me 3 Si, R 2 Me 3 C)

The reactions of SnCl2, PbCl2, or GeCl2, dioxan with LiNR12, OEt2 or LiNR1R2, OEt2 in Et2O at 0° yield the stable, monomeric, diamagnetic, coloured, volatile, hydrocarbon-soluble title compounds which are highly reactive.