The synthesis of non-classical divalent lanthanide complexes, i.e. those not containing the classical samarium(II), europium(II) or ytterbium(II), was once thought impossible. Since 1997, when the first stable complex of thulium(II) was discovered, there has been many more examples of stable coordination and organometallic complexes of lanthanum(II), neodymium(II) and dysprosium(II) in addition to thulium(II), and the influence of the ligand system on the stability of the complexes is beginning to be understood. These non-classical divalent compounds show exceptional reactivity as some of them have been shown to activate dinitrogen at room temperature, together with related reduced divalent-like systems, and to undergo spontaneous intramolecular carbon–hydrogen bond activation. Many more examples of non-classical divalent compounds together with new aspects of their exciting reactivity should be discovered in the near future.