Highly efficient and rapid synthesis of diverse hydantoin derivatives using nano-ordered ZnO catalyst under mechanochemical ball milling

A mild and efficient one-pot three-component and environmentally benign approach for the synthesis of a wide range of hydantoin annulated derivatives has been described. A multi-component reaction between a carbonyl compounds (ketone or aldehyde), potassium cyanide and ammonium carbonate (as cyanating agent and amine source, respectively leads to the formation of hydantoins. The proposed optimized reaction conditions, i.e. solvent-free conditions under ambient temperature in the presence of low amount of ZnOnano-catalyst, were very efficient resulting in the formation of the desired products with good to excellent yields. Furthermore, the presented methodology is in accord with green chemistry principles.