A MoS2 nanocatalyst with surface-enriched active sites for the heterogeneous transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes

A highly efficient and reusable plane-curved and interlayer-expanded MoS 2 nanocatalyst with increased exposure of active sites was prepared. The catalyst was used for the heterogeneous hydrogen transfer reaction of nitroarenes with hydrazine monohydrate as a reductant under mild reaction conditions without pressure and base, which was different from other hydrogen transfer systems that require the presence of a base (e.g., propan-2-ol/KOH). The sandwiching of carbon between the MoS 2 nanosheets increased the distance between the layers of MoS 2 and exposed more Mo sites, resulting in superior catalytic performance compared with that of bulk MoS 2 catalyst. The active hydrogen (H*) generated from N 2 H 4 could directly transfer to the –NO 2 groups of nitrobenzene to form aniline followed by N 2 emission, which was confirmed by detecting the gas emission with mass spectrometry during the decomposition of hydrazine or the co-existence of nitrobenzene and hydrazine.