Influence of the solvent on the relative rate constant for the reaction of benzophenone oxide with benzaldehyde has been studied. The solvent influence can be quantitatively described by the semi-empirical Koppel-Palm equation. It is shown that non-specific solvation due to electrostatic interactions lowers, while polarizability enhances the reactivity of diphenyl carbonyl oxide. The specific solvation affects the reaction mainly through the parameter of electrophilicity by decreasing the carbonyl oxide reactivity.