lithium in tetrahydrofuran byproducts: pentamethylcyclopentadiene; a stoich. amt. of cut-up Li was added under Ar to a soln. of germanocene in THF, mixt. was stirred at room temp. for 7 d; no initial germanocene was observed after the reaction; solvent was evapd., residue was extd. with petroleum ether, ext. was analyzed for remaining germanocene by (1)H NMR, insoluble material was treated with MeOH, elemental Ge was filtered and dried, soln. was examined for C5Me5H spectroscopically;