Irradiation of 1, 1, 2, 2-tetracyano-3, 3-diphenylcyclopropane in the presence of triethylamine results in the formation of 1, 1-dicyano-2, 2-diphenylethylene, which is suggested to be formed as a result of spontaneous 1, 2 elimination of stabilized ion pairs in the initially formed amine-cyclopropane adducts.