A three-coordinate iron-silylene complex stabilized by ligand-ligand dispersion forces.

The structural and bonding properties of a three-coordinate N-heterocyclic silyene (NHSi) complex of the iron(ii) amide [Fe{N(SiMe3)2}2] are reported. Computational studies reveal that dispersion forces between the amido SiMe3 substituents and the isopropyl substituents on the NHSi ligand significantly enhance the stability of the complex, along with Fe-to-Si π-backbonding.