The condensation of ethyl 2-(4-cyanobenzoyl)acetate (I) with 9-hydroxythioxanthene (II) in ethanol/acetic acid gives ethyl 2-(4-cyanobenzoyl)-2-(thioxanthen-9-yl)acetate (III), which is decarboxylated in refluxing DMSO/water yielding 4-[2-(thioxanthen-9-yl)acetyl]benzonitrile (IV). The cyclization of (IV) with ammonium carbonate and potasium cyanide affords the hydantoin (V), which is finally fully hydrolyzed with aqueous NaOH at 120 C.