The activation of carbon monoxide by amide reagents has recently proven to be of significant interest. For example, it has been shown that simple lithium amides can effect Fisher-Tropschlike CO homologation processes, while the introduction of silyl substituents (as in, e.g., K[N(SiMe3)2]) leads to the conversion of CO to cyanide salts or organic isocyanides. Previous work in our group has shown that aluminium imide K2[VII]2 reacts with CO via C-O bond cleavage and C-C bond formation steps, to give K2[X]2 in which the N-aryl linkage is retained (Scheme 2). Given the greater lability of N-Si (over N-C) bonds, we were keen to investigate the reactions of aluminium and silyl imides towards CO and other small molecules, with the aim of exploring the possibilities for nitride transfer chemistry.