The syntheses of the ytterbium(II) distannyl [Yb{Sn(SiMe3)3}2.(thf)4] (Yb-Sn) and of its digermyl analogue [Yb{Ge(SiMe3)3}2.(thf)3] (Yb-Ge) are presented. The compounds were characterised by multinuclear high-resolution solution NMR spectroscopy, including 171Yb NMR,...