1,2-Diphenyl-2-(m-tolylamino)ethanoneDedicated to the memory of Professor Jos #233; Manuel Concell #243;n

The title compound, C21H19NO, belongs to the family of α-aminoketones. The structure contains three benzene rings, two of which [the phenyl ring in the 1-position (B) and the methylaniline ring (A)] are nearly coplanar [dihedral angle = 5.4 (1)°], whereas the phenyl ring in the 2-position (C) is nearly normal to them [dihedral angles = 81.8 (1) and 87.0 (1)° for A/C and B/C, respectively]. The conformation of the N—H bond is syn to the C=O bond, favouring the formation of a centrosymmetric dimer of molecules in the crystal structure. The molecular packing is consolidated by this N—H...O hydrogen-bonding network.