Diphenylacetonitrile can be prepared in good yield by the dehydration of the amide of diphenyl acetic acid with phosphorous oxychloride.

Diphenylacetonitrile undergoes anhydrous condensation with ethyl-4-bromo-butyrate. This is followed by its hydrolysis in alkaline medium that is used in the quantitative determination of 3-cyano-3,3-diphenylpropionic acid