Two new bis(phosphinimino)methanide complexes of divalent ytterbium, [{(Me3SiNPPh2)2CH}2Yb], and strontium, [{(Me3SiNPPh2)2CH}2Sr], were synthesized from the corresponding metal diiodides and of K{CH(PPh 2NSiMe3)2}. Alternatively, the ytterbium compound could also be obtained starting from [{(Me3SiNPPh 2)2CH}YbI(THF)2]. A comparison of the properties with the analogues compounds [{(Me3SiNPPh 2)2CH}2M] (M = Ca, Ba, Sm, Eu) is given. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.