I--VI VII--XX R= H (I), Me (II), Et (liD, Pr (IV), i-Pr (V), NH2 (VI). oF (VII), m~(VIII), pF (IX), o-Cl (X), m-Cl (XI), wCI (XII), o-Br (XIII), m-Br (XIV), p-Br (XV), oI (XVI), m4 (XVII), o-Me (XVIII), m- Me (XIX), p-Me (XX). The synthesis of benzhydrylformamide (I) was effected by a modified Leuckart reaction from benzophenone and formic acid, using the more readily available urea in place of the more usual formamide [5]. Compounds (II-V) were obtained by ...