A series of 3a,5‐diaryl‐1,3‐diphenyl‐3a,4,5,6‐tetrahydro‐3H‐1,2,4‐triazolo[4,3‐a][1,5]benzo‐diazepines was synthesized by the cycloaddition reactions of 2,4‐diaryl‐2,3‐dihydro‐1H‐1,5‐benzo‐diazepines and N‐phenylbenzonitrileimine generated from N‐phenylbenzenecarbohydrazonic chloride in the presence of triethylamine in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 12:557–559, 2001