[Ge{M(CO)}]: electrophilic addition of M(CO) and [E] Zintl anions (M = Cr, Mo, W).

Nucleophilic substitution reactions of KGe and M(CO) produced [Ge{M(CO)}] (M = Cr, 1a; Mo, 2a; W, 3a). The electrophilic addition of M(CO) and [Ge] occurred at the three capping sites to form almost perfect tricapped trigonal prismatic 1a-3a with crystallographic C symmetry.