Phenylacetic acid benzylamides

A method of lowering the level of glucose in the blood of a warm-blooded animal and humans in need thereof, which comprises orally or parenterally administering to said animal and humans an effective hypoglycemic amount of a compound of formula ##STR30## wherein R.sub.1 represents an unbranched alkyleneimino group with 4 to 6 carbon atoms optionally mono- or di-(alkyl of 1 to 3 carbon atoms)-substituted;

• R.sub.2 represents a hydrogen or halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group;
• R.sub.3 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group with 1 to 7 carbon atoms, a phenyl group optionally substituted by a halogen atom or a methyl or methoxy group, an alkyl group with 1 or 2 carbon atoms substituted by a hydroxy, alkoxy, alkanoyloxy, tetrahydrofuranyl, tetrahydropyranyl, cycloalkyl or phenyl group, in which the alkoxy part can contain from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, the alkanoyloxy part can contain 2 or 3 carbon atoms and the cycloalkyl part can contain 3 to 7 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group with 3 to 6 carbon atoms, an alkynyl group with 3 to 5 carbon atoms, a carboxy group or an alkoxycarbonyl group with a total or 2 to 5 carbon atoms;
• R.sub.4 represents a hydrogen atom, a methyl, ethyl or allyl group;
• and
• W represents a methyl, hydroxymethyl, formyl, carboxyl, alkoxycarbonyl, cyanomethyl, 2-cyano-ethyl, 2-cyano-ethenyl, carboxymethyl, 2-carboxyethyl, 2-carboxyethenyl, alkoxycarbonylmethyl, 2-alkoxycarbonyl-ethyl or 2-alkoxycarbonyl-ethenyl group, in which each alkoxy part can contain from 1 to 4 carbon atoms and can be substituted by a phenyl group;
• and
• when R.sub.3 is other then hydrogen and/or the radical R.sub.1 contains an optically active carbon atom, the enantiomers and the diastereomers thereof or their mixtures;
• when W is carboxyl, a non-toxic salt thereof formed with an inorganic or organic base;
• or a non-toxic acid addition salt thereof formed by an inorganic or organic acid with the amino function in the R.sub.1 -position.