The branched oligogermanium hydride (Ph3Ge)3GeH was synthesized via a hydrogermolysis reaction from GeH4 and Ph 3GeNMe2 and was converted to the halide series of compounds (Ph3Ge)3GeX (X = Cl, Br, I) upon reaction with [Ph3C][PF6] in CH2X2 solvent (X = Cl, Br, I). These species were fully characterized by NMR (1H and 13C) and UV/visible spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and elemental analysis. In addition, (Ph3Ge)3GeH was analyzed by 73Ge NMR spectroscopy and exhibits two resonances at δ -56 and -311 ppm. A Ge-H coupling constant of 191 Hz was observed in the proton-coupled 73Ge NMR spectrum of (Ph3Ge)3GeH. The X-ray crystal structures of (Ph3Ge)3GeH and (Ph 3Ge)3GeX (X = Cl, Br, I) were obtained and represent the first examples of branched oligogermane hydrides or halides to be characterized in this fashion. The Ge-Ge bond distances in (Ph3Ge)3GeH are short (average value 2.4310(5) Å), while those in the halide compounds (Ph3Ge)3GeX are similar to one another and range from 2.4626(7) to 2.4699(5) Å. The UV/visible and cyclic voltammetry data for these species have been correlated with DFT computations, and excellent agreement was found between the experimental and theoretical data. © 2011 American Chemical Society.