The conformational equilibria of 3-methyl-3-silathiane 5, 3-fluoro-3-methyl-3-silathiane 6 and 1-fluoro-1-methyl-1-silacyclohexane 7 have been studied using low temperature 13 C NMR spectroscopy and theoretical calculations. The conformer ratio at 103 K was measured to be about 5 ax :5 eq ¼ 15:85, 6 ax :6 eq ¼ 50:50 and 7 ax :7 eq ¼ 25:75. The equatorial preference of the methyl group in 5 (0.35 kcal mol S1 ) is much less than in 3-methylthiane 9 (1.40 kcal mol S1 ) but somewhat greater than in 1-methyl-1-silacyclohexane 1 (0.23 kcal mol S1 ). Compounds 5-7 have low barriers to ring inversion: 5.65 (ax ! eq) and 6.0 kcal mol S1 (eq ! ax) (5), 4.6 kcal mol S1 (6), 5.1 kcal mol S1 (Me ax ! Me eq ), and 5.4 kcal mol S1 (Me eq ! Me ax ) (7). Steric effects cannot explain the observed conformational preferences, like equal population of the two conformers of 6, or different conformer ratio for 5 and 7. Actually, by employing the NBO analysis, in particular, considering the second order perturbation energies, vicinal stereoelectronic interactions