7-Dimethoxyphosphoryl-7-phenylnorcaradiene crystallizes in the space group P1, with a= 13.259 (2), b = 8"698 (3), c = 6.507 (2) A, e = 110.97 (2), ,8= 97.62 (2), y= 91 "26 (3) . The structure has been soh, ed by direct methods; refinement by block-diagonal least-squares cycles gave R=4.07% for 2184 observed reflexions collected on a Siemens single-crystal diffractometer with Cu K~ radiation. Whereas in solution a rapid equilibrium between the norcaradiene and its valence-isomeric cycloheptatriene can be observed, the molecules in the crystalline state show clearly the norcaradiene structure with an endo phenyl ring.The three C-C bonds of the cyclopropane ring are equal within the standard deviation.