Hexaphenylbenzene

The structure of the title compound has been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction work. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group $Pna2_1$ with a=11.095(3), b=21.834(7), c=12.574(4) $\AA$, and R1=0.0667. The average carbon bond length in aromaticity In the molecule is 1.386(1) $\AA$ and the average single bond length linking the central benEene ring and peripheral phenyl rings is 1.491(3) $\AA$. The average dihedral angle between the central benzene ring and each of six peripheral phenyl rings is $67.1(1)^{\circ}$ and the average dihedral angle between neighboring two phenyl rings is $55.0(1)^{\circ}$. Thus the molecule adopts a quasi-propeller configuration with approximate six-fold rotation symmetry.