Reactions of Cp*(dmpe)Mo(eta(3)-CH2Ph) with organogermanes (RR'GeH2) afforded germylene complexes Cp*(dmpe)Mo-(H)GeRR' (RR' = Ph-2 (2), Et-2 (3), (Mes)H (4), (Bu-t)H (5)). Compound 2 does not possess an intramolecular H center dot center dot center dot Ge interaction of the type exhibited by its silicon analogue and by 3. The existence of such interactions appears to depend on the steric properties of substituents on the Ge (or Si) atom. For comparison a silylene complex was prepared by reaction of 9-silafluorene with 1, to give Cp*(dmpe)Mo(H)Si(C12H8), which on the basis of NMR spectroscopy does not possess a significant Si center dot center dot center dot H interaction.