reaction of azibenzil with diarylmethanimine (1) leads to N-(diarylmethylene)diphenylacetamide (2) which from methanol or ethanol yields N-(α-alkoxydiarylmethyl)diphenylacetamide (4). The reduction of 2 with sodium borohydride gives N-(diarylmethyl)diphenylacetamide. The photochemical reaction of azibenzil and 1 results in the formation of cyano ethers besides the amido ethers 4. A mechanism of formation