Prepd by the action of phenylmagnesium bromide on benzophenone: Acree, Ber. 37, 2755 (1904); Peters et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 47, 452 (1925); Dubsky, Jacot-Guillarmod, Helv. Chim. Acta 53, 1965 (1970); by the action of potassium permanganate on triphenylfluoro- or triphenylchloromethane: Blicke, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 46, 1518 (1924). Convenient lab prepn from methyl benzoate and phenylmagnesium bromide: L. F. Fieser, Experiments in Organic Chemistry (Boston, 3rd ed., 1955) p 77. Absorption spectrum in alc: Orndorff et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 49, 1543 (1927)