芳炔是从芳环去除两个邻位取代基后（剩下含两个电子的两个轨道）得到的电中性活性中间体。 与碳烯和氮烯类似，芳炔也有单线态和三线态各一个。

苯炔（C₆H₄，右图标号1）是最简单的芳炔。为防止被误理解为含普通叁键的物种，也可称其为“二脱氢苯”或“邻二脱氢苯”。苯炔类似苯，也有结构1和2间的共振式，从而有一定的稳定作用。两个共振结构的综合表示方法为图3。从图4b可以看出，在苯炔中多出的π键是定域的，与环其他π键呈正交。除了常见的叁键表示法以外，也可将苯炔描述为双自由基，即在普通的凯库勒苯结构式上，再加上两个邻位的自由基点符。

Arynes or benzynes are highly reactive species derived from an aromatic ring by removal of two ortho substituents. Arynes are usually best described as having a strained triple bond; however, they possess some biradical character as well. The term aryne is most closely associated with ortho-aryne (1,2-didehydrobenzene), however 1,3- and 1,4-didehydrobenzene intermediates have been described.