The first homoleptic complexes of a tripodal [E((NBu)-Bu-t)(3)](2-) anion (E = S, Se, Te) are prepared by the reaction of {Li-2[Te((NBu)-Bu-t)(3)]}(2) with MCl3 (E = Bi, Sb) in THF or toluene. In the complexes Li{M[Te((NBu)-Bu-t)(3)](2)} the pnicogen is chelated (N, N') to two [Te((NBu)-Bu-t)(3)](2-) anions and the pendant (NBu)-Bu-t groups of these anions are bridged by a Li+ cation.