A gel having improved thermal stability is the hydro silylation reaction product of (A) an organopolysiloxane having an average of at least 0.1 silicon-bonded alkenyl group per molecule and (B) a cross-linker having an average of at least 2 silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule. (A) and (B) react via hydrosilylation in the presence of (C) a hydrosilylation catalyst and (D) a heated reaction product of iron acetylacetonate. The iron acetylacetonate is present prior to heating in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 30 weight percent based on a total weight of (A) and (B). The gel is formed using a method that includes the steps of (I) heating the iron acetylacetonate to form the (D) heated reaction product of the iron acetylacetonate and (II) combining (A), (B), (C) and (D) to effect the hydrosilylation reaction of (A) and (B) in the presence of (C) and (D) to form the gel.
