The electron-rich germylene Ge[N (SiMe,),], reacts w i t h the diazo-compounds R'CH,COC(N,) R2 [R1 = H, R2 = CO(OEt), SO,C,H,Me-p, or COPh; R1, R2 = -CMe,CH,C(O)-1, which contain an enolisable function, t o yield the heterocycles de[N(SiMe,),],NHN=C( R2)C(=CH R1)b; the weakly acidic diazo-compounds ethyl diazoacetate and diazoacetophenone yield bis-adducts Ge[N(SiMe,),],[C(N,)COR][NHN=C(H)COR] (R = OEt or Ph). Diazo-compounds containing two non-enolisable substituents yield mono-adducts w i t h Ge[N (SiMe,),],which can be hydrolysed t o yield the diol Ge(OH),[N(SiMe,),], and, in one example, the corresponding hydrazone H,NN= C( COPh)CO(OEt). These adducts appear to be thermodynamically stable in an aprotic solvent, but can be trapped b y addition of ethanol, t o yield Ge[N(SiMe,),],(OEt){NHN=C[CCO(OMe)]2}, or of diazoacetophenone to yield Ge[ (SiMe,),],[ C( N, ) COPhj{ N H N=C [CO( OMe)],}. All the reactions of the germylene with diazo-compounds can be rationalised in terms of the initial formation of a germyleneazine [ (Me,Si),N],Ge=N-N=C(X)Y, which readily adds any available protic species t o give a germane derivative. M N D O calculations o n model systems are in accord with the experimental findings and also explain their differences from results previously obtained using the simpler germylene GePh,.