Abstract: Pharmacologically active diphenylmethane derivatives of formula (I) ##SPC1##wherein: R is halo, nitro or lower alkoxy; R.sub.1 is hydrogen, halo, nitro, lower alkyl or lower alkoxy; R.sub.2 is hydrogen, lower acyl, carbamyl or substituted carbamyl; X is an --OR.sub.3 or --NHR.sub.4 group wherein R.sub.3 is hydrogen, lower alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, phenyl-lower alkyl, acyl, carbamyl or substituted carbamyl; R.sub.4 is hydrogen, lower alkyl or lower acyl; and x and y are integers from zero to two, provided that the sum of x and y is at least one. The compounds are prepared by hydrogenation of an o-benzoylbenzoic acid of formula (II) to the corresponding diol of formula (III) according to the following scheme: ##SPC2##Wherein R, R.sub.1, x and y have the same meaning given above and Z is O or H.sub.2. As hydrogenating agents, a hydride or mixed metal hydrides are used. The diols of formula (III) may be subsequently coverted to other inventive compounds of formula (I) by simple chemical operations.