Photocatalytic reduction of nitro aromatic compounds to amines using a nanosized highly active CdS photocatalyst under sunlight and blue LED irradiation

Abstract

AbstractA variety of aromatic nitro compounds were chemoselectively reduced to the corresponding anilines using conveniently prepared nanosized CdS as a photocatalyst under the sunlight and blue LED irradiation. The results demonstrated that synthesized CdS nanostructures have the potential to provide a promising visible light driven photocatalyst for chemoselective reduction of nitro aromatics in the presence of nitrile and carbonyl groups to the corresponding amines under both sunlight and blue LED irradiation. Photoreduction of nitro aromatics by the prepared nanosized CdS with high surface area was faster than when using the commercially available CdS under both sunlight and LED irradiation. Nanosized CdS photocatalyst was prepared by a simple method without any capping agent. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometry (EDAX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), N