What is "benzil"

n. (context organic chemistry English) The organic compound 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-ethanedione, a diketone used as an intermediate in organic synthesis and as a photoinitiator for free-radical curing of polymer networks.

Benzil (systematically known as 1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-dione) is the organic compound with the formula ( CH CO), generally abbreviated ( Ph PhCO). This yellow solid is one of the most common diketones. Its main use is as a photoinitiator in polymer chemistry.