The chiral carbene bis[bis(R-1-phenylethyl)amino]cyclopropenylidene 2 and its dicarbene–silver complex [Ag(2)₂]BF₄ (3) have been isolated in good yields from the reactions of bis[bis(R-1-phenylethyl)amino]cyclopropenylium tetrafluoroborate (1)BF₄ with potassium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide or with Ag₂O, respectively; the molecular structures of (1)ClO₄, 2 and 3 have been determined by X-ray diffraction analyses.