Benzyl and benzhydryl alcohols

A compound of the formula I:

• ##STR12## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently selected from any of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.2 -C.sub.6 hydroxyalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkoxyl, aryloxy, hydroxyl, trifluoromethyl, trifluoromethoxy, cyano, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkythio, halogen, nitro, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 haloalkyl, amino or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 mono- or di-alkylamino, with the proviso that R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 can not both be H at the same time;
• variable n has a value of 1-4;
• A is N;
• R.sup.3 is selected from any of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 acyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 cycloalkyl or aralkyl wherein the alkyl portion is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 ;
• R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 are independently selected from any of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, aralkyl wherein the alkyl portion is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8, C.sub.4 -C.sub.8 cycloalkyl;
• wherein the phenyl is substituted with one or more of C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkoxy, halogen, trifluoromethyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkylthio, dialkylamino (wherein each alkyl is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8), C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkylamino, nitro, or mono- or di-alkylamino sulfonyl (wherein each alkyl is C.sub.1 -C.sub.8);
• R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 are independently selected from any one of H, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkoxy, nitro, halogen, haloalkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 alkylthio, amino, or C.sub.1 -C.sub.8 mono- or di-alkylamino or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.