The properties of deuterated benzene are very similar to those of normal benzene, however, the increased atomic weight of deuterium relative to protium means that the melting point of C6D6 is about 1.3 °C higher than that of the nondeuterated analogue.

It is widely used for taking spectra of organometallic compounds, which often react with the cheaper deuterated chloroform.

[3] A slightly more exotic application of C6D6 is in the synthesis of molecules containing a deuterated phenyl group.

Deuterated benzene will undergo all the same reactions its normal analogue will, just a little more slowly due to the kinetic isotope effect.

Many simple monosubstituted aromatic compounds bearing the deuterated phenyl (C6D5) group may be purchased commercially, such as aniline, acetophenone, nitrobenzene, bromobenzene, and more.