A series of new heteroleptic alkaline earth (Ae) metal complexes of general formula [{(Ph2CHN-CH)2C4H2N}AeI(THF)3] {Ae = Ca (2), Sr (3), and Ba (4)} were synthesizedviasalt metathesis by reacting potassium salt of ligand1-K[{(Ph2CHN-CH)2C4H2N}K(THF)2] with anhydrous alkaline earth metal diiodides (AeI2). The homoleptic calcium and barium complexes [{(Ph2CHN-CH)2C4H2N}2Ae] [Ae = Ca (5), Ba (6)] were prepared by treating metal bis-hexamethyldisilazide [Ae{N(SiMe3)2}2(THF)2] with the protic ligand1-H[(Ph2CH-N-CH)2C4H2NH] in a 1:2 molar ratio. Calcium complex5was used as an active pre-catalyst for the addition of N-H bond of arylamines across the heterocumulenes such as phenylisocyanate (PhNCO) and phenylisothiocyanate (PhNCS) under neat conditions, and up to 99% yields of the corresponding urea and thiourea derivatives were obtained. © The Royal Society of Chemistry and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique 2020.