In the case of Mg, commercially available n Bu2Mg was employed; for the remainder, dibenzyl precursors [M(CH2Ph)2(THF)x] (M = Ca-Ba, Sm, Eu, Yb) were prepared and used in situ (Scheme 1). Mg, Ca and Yb derivatives were obtained as THF adducts as shown in crude products NMR, however, coordinated solvents could be removed through prolonged exposure to vacuum. Conversely, coordinated THF could not be removed from Sr and Ba derivatives upon exposure to vacuum or via recrystallization. Nonetheless, in one occasion 1-Sr was obtained as a solvent-free compound upon crystallization, but we could not reproduce this method reliably (vide infra). Repeated attempts to isolate 1-Sm were unsuccessful; however, crystals of [Sm(NPC-H)3] (2-Sm) were instead obtained (Scheme 1). This indicates that the product had oxidised, possibly as part of disproportionation of Sm(II) to Sm(III) and Sm(0).