The synthesis and characterization of several m-terphenyl stabilized germylyne transition metal complexes and related metallogermylenes are reported. The reaction of Na[M(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 3 ] (M ) Cr, or W) with Ge(Cl)C 6 H 3 -2,6-Trip 2 (Trip ) -C 6 H 2 -2,4,6-i-Pr 3 ) below room temperature affords the metallogermylenes (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 3 M-G ¨e-C 6 H 3 -2,6-Trip 2 (M ) Cr, 1; W, 5). However, for the analogous reaction with Na[Mo(η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 3 ], the metallogermylene was not isolated. Instead, the germylyne complex (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 MotGe-C 6 H 3 -2,6-Trip 2 (3) was obtained directly with elimination of carbon monoxide. The corresponding chromium and tungsten compounds (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 MtGe-C 6 H 3 -2,6-Trip 2 (M ) Cr, 2; W, 6) could be obtained by refluxing 1 or 5 in toluene or by photolysis. The related germylyne (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 Wt Ge-C 6 H 3 -2,6-Mes 2 (7), as well as the recently reported molybdenum analogue (η 5 -C 5 H 5 )(CO) 2 MotGe-C 6 H 3 -2,6-Mes 2 (4), which was the first example of a triply bonded germanium species, are also described. All compounds were characterized by 1 H and 13 C NMR, UV-vis, and IR spectroscopy, and by C, H analysis. The X-ray crystal structures of 1-3, 5, and 7 have also been determined. The MtGe (M ) Cr, Mo, W) triple bonds in the germylynes are typically ca. 0.4 Å shorter than the M-Ge single bonds in the metallogermylenes. In addition, angles at germanium in the germylynes are nearly linear (range 170.9(3)-175.99(6)°) whereas in the metallogermylenes the corresponding angles are 114.7(6) and 117.8(2)°, consistent with the presence of a lone pair at germanium. The synthesis of the series of compounds 1-7 has enabled, for the first time, a comparison of single and triple bond lengths between closely related species involving the same coordination number and substituents at the heavier group 14 element.