New Si-Ge and Si-Ge-Sn compounds bearing the bulky groups-E (SiMe3) 3 (E= Si, Ge) were obtained by treatment of MC 4 (M= Ge, Sn) with either (THF) 3LiSi (SiMe3) 3 or (THF) z. sLiGe (SiMe&. The cyclic tetragermane [(Mes-Si) 3SiGeC1] 4-C6H6 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group a/c with u= 21.835 (7) A, b= 26.342 (9) A, c= 14.464 (4) A, 0= 103.45', V= 8092 A3, and Z= 4. The Ge4 ring was nonplanar with an average torsion ...