Selective Reduction of Nitroarenes with Molybdenum Disulfide

Abstract

AbstractCommercial MoS2 was found to be a highly selective catalyst for the reduction of nitrobenzenes to the corresponding anilines with hydrazine under mild conditions. MoS2 is not only much cheaper, but also more selective than noble metal catalysts for the reduction of functional nitrobenzenes to the corresponding anilines. Nitrobenzenes with halides (F, Cl, Br and I) were reduced selectively, and the corresponding anilines were obtained in excellent yields, and no dehalogenation was detected. Functional groups such as NH2, OH, alkene groups were tolerated during the reduction of the nitro compounds. The reduction of p‐chloronitrobenzene was studied over MoS2 and Pd/C respectively with hydrazine. The yield of p‐chloroaniline was much higher with MoS2 than that with Pd/C at full conversion.