The first example of a dyotropic rearrangement of an enantio-merically pure, conformationally unconstrained, vicinal dibromide confirms theoretical predictions: D and L-1,2-dibromo-1,2-diphenyl-ethane racemise stereospecifically in refluxing benzene without crossover to the meso-isomer. An orbital analysis of this six-electron pericyclic process is presented.