A mechanistic study of the samarium(II)-mediated reduction of aryl nitro compounds to the corresponding crylamines. The crystal structures of [Sm[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2)(thf)](2)(mu(2)-O) and [(Me(3)Si)(2)N](2)Sm(thf)(mu-PhNNPh)Sm[N(SiMe(3))(2)](2).