A stable silicon(II) monohydride

A stable silicon(II) monohydride is accomplished through a covalent shared interaction of the silylene lone-pair and a sp(3)-hybridized boron atom of the Lewis acidic BH(3). Experimental charge density investigations reveal a central positively charged silicon atom bound to a negatively charged hydrogen atom. The positively charged H-Si-BH(3) moiety is coordinated by the lone-pairs of electrons of the benzamidinate ligand. This coordination is reinforced by a transannular Si1 center dot center dot center dot C1 privileged exchange channel.