The compounds Cp*MH 3 (dppe) (M ) Mo, 1;W,2) are accessible in good yields from reacting the corresponding compound Cp*MCl 4 and LiAlH 4 in toluene/Et 2 O followed by methanolysis. The X-ray structure of 1 shows a pseudo-trigonal-prismatic geometry which is unprecedented for half-sandwich CpML 5 -type compounds. Protonation with HBF 4 ‚Et 2 OinEt 2 Oatlow temperature affords [Cp*MH 4 (dppe)] + BF 4 -salts (M ) Mo, 3;W,4). While 3 spontaneously decomposes, even at low temperatures, in coordinating solvents and CH 2 Cl 2 , 4 is stable at room temperature in MeCN. An X-ray structure of 4 is consistent with a classical tetrahydrido species with a distorted pseudo-pentagonal-bipyramidal structure. The low-temperature NMR properties, J HD e 1Hzfor 4-d 3 , and the T 1(min) value for the hydride resonance are also consistent with this structural assignment. Decomposition of 3 in MeCN at room temperature selectively affords [Cp*MoH 2 (MeCN)(dppe)] + BF 4 -, 5. The NMR properties of this complex indicate a fluxional structure with inequivalent H and P nuclei and are consistent with a pseudo-trigonal-prismatic structure analogous to that of the precursor 1. Further protonation of 5 in MeCN or direct protonation of 1 with excess acid in MeCN affords two isomers of complex [Cp*MoH(MeCN) 2 (dppe)](BF 4 ) 2 , 6 and 7. Thermal treatment in MeCN slowly converts 7 into 6 initially, but both isomers further transform into a third isomer, 8, upon prolonged heating. The structure of 6 has been elucidated by X-ray crystallography and consists of a highly distorted pseudo-octahedral geometry with relative trans MeCN ligands. The structures of 7 and 8 and mechanisms of the intercon-versions between the various isomeric structures are proposed on the basis of the solution NMR studies.