The known bis(butadiene)(cyclopentadienyl)niobium complex (C5H4R)Nb(C4H6)2(1, R = H) exists in solution as a 1:1 mixture of a bis(cis-butadiene) isomer 1a and a (cis-butadiene)(transbutadiene) isomer 1 b. In solution the barrier to isomerisation is 80 +/- 2 kJ/mol. New derivatives 2 (R = Me) and 3 (R = SiMe3) of 1 are described. One of the butadiene ligands in 1-3 is readily substituted with CO, CNtBu, P(OMe)3, and PMe3. CpNb(PMe3)2(C4H6) (7) reacts with disubstituted acetylenes to form acetylene complexes CpNb(PMe3)(C4H6)(RC = CR') 8: R, R' = Ph, 9: R = Me, R' = Ph, and 10: R = Ph, R' = SiMe3). The structure of 9 resembles that of bent metallocene derivatives with the acetylene acting as a 2-e ligand.