The seven-membered ring in the title compound, C(19)H(18)N(2)O(3), adopts a boat conformation with the two phenyl-ene C atoms representing the stern and the methyl-ene C atom the prow. The dihedral angle between the best plane through the seven-membered ring (r.m.s deviation = 0.343 Å) and the phenyl substituent is 31.9 (1)°. The dihedral angle between this best plane and the best plane through the eth-oxy-carbonyl-methyl substituent (r.m.s. deviation = 0.058 Å) is 72.2 (1)°.