The molecule consists of two phenyl groups attached to a C2 unit.

A colorless solid, it is used as a building block in organic synthesis and as a ligand in organometallic chemistry.

[2] Alternatively stilbene is brominated, and the resulting dibromodiphenylethane is subjected to dehydrohalogenation.

[4] Dicobalt octacarbonyl catalyzes alkyne trimerisation of diphenylacetylene to form hexaphenylbenzene.

[5] Reaction of Ph2C2 with benzal chloride in the presence of potassium t-butoxide affords 3-tert-butoxy-1,2,3-triphenylcyclopropene, which converts to 1,2,3-triphenylcyclopropenium bromide after the elimination of tert-butoxide.