Synthesis of the simple triamidoamine complexes of the group 3 and lanthanide elements is achieved for the first time by reaction of [Li-3(NN'(3))(thf)(3)] [NN'(3) = N(CH2CH2NSiMe3)(3)] with the metal trichlorides; the 'ate' complexes [M(NN'(3))ClLi(thf)(3)] (M = Sc, Y, La) thus produced are converted smoothly to [M(NN'(3))] on sublimation in vacuo.