4,5-Diiodo-2-phenyl-1H-imidazole.

The structure of the title compound, C(9)H(6)I(2)N(2), contains two symmetry-independent mol-ecules. The inter-planar angles between the imidazole and phenyl ring planes are 16.35†(3) and 17.48†(6)°. Mol-ecules are connected via N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds to form zigzag chains along the b axis. The title compound is the first example of a structurally characterized 4,5-diiodo-imidazole with an organic substituent in the 2-position and without protection on the N-H group of imidazole.