pulsed laserphotolysis of 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-2,2-diphenyl-1,2,3-trisilacycloheptane affords diphenylsilylene (SiPh2) with significantly higher selectivity than that reported previously from other SiPh2 precursors, allowing the direct detection of SiPh2 in solution for the first time. The UV/vis spectrum of the silylene in anhydrous hexane at 25 degrees C, determined by laser flash photolysis methods