Mechanosynthesis of sydnone-containing coordination complexes.

N-Phenyl-4-(2-pyridinyl) sydnone was shown to act as a four-electron donor N,O-ligand in unprecedented coordination complexes featuring three different metallic centers (Co, Cu, and Zn). Starting with various anilines, the use of a ball-mill efficiently enabled the synthesis of N-arylglycines, subsequent nitrosylation and cyclization into sydnones, and further metalation.