The title compound, C17H16N2O, consists of a benzodiazepin-2-one moiety substituted with a phenyl ring and an ethyl group. The seven-membered diazepine ring has a boat conformation and the fused benzene ring is nearly perpendicular to the phenyl ring, as indicated by the dihedral angle of 74.90 (8)°. The atoms of the ethyl group are disordered over two sets of sites, with a refined occupancy ratio of 0.603 (15):0.397 (15). In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are linkedviaa further C—H...O hydrogen bond, forming layers parallel to (001), which are in turn linked by C—H...π interactions, forming a three-dimensional structure.