The title compound, [Zn(C(9)H(11))(2)] or Mes(2)Zn (Mes = mesityl = 2,4,6-trimethyl-phen-yl), crystallizes with a quarter of a mol-ecule in the asymmetric unit. The Zn(II) atom is in a strictly linear environment with a Zn-C bond length of 1.951 (5) Å. Due to the imposed 2/m symmetry, both aromatic rings are coplanar. One of the methyl groups is disordered over two equally occupied positions.