Full Selectivity Control over the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Nitroaromatics Into Six Products.

Abstract

A full selectivity control over the catalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatics leads to the production of six possible products, i.e., nitroso, hydroxylamine, azoxy, azo, hydrazo or aniline compounds, which has however not been achieved in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Currently, there is no sufficient evidence to support that the catalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatics with the use of heterogeneous metal catalysts would follow the Haber's mechanistic scheme based on electrochemical reduction. We now demonstrate in this work that it is possible to fully control the catalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatics into their all six products using a single catalytic system under various conditions. Employing SnO2-supported Pt nanoparticles facilitated by the surface coordination of ethylenediamine and vanadium species enabled this unprecedented selectivity control. Through systematic investigation into the controlled production of all products and their chemical reactivities, we have constructed a detailed reaction network for the catalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatics. Crucially, using oxygen-isolated characterization techniques is essential for identifying unstable compounds such as nitroso, hydroxylamine, hydrazo compounds. The insights gained from this research offer invaluable guidance for selectively transforming nitroaromatics into a wide array of functional N-containing compounds, both advancing fundamental understanding and fostering practical applications in various fields.