Selective Reduction of Nitroarenes with Molybdenum Disulfide

Commercial MoS 2 was found to be a highly selective catalyst for the reduction of nitrobenzenes to the corresponding anilines with hydrazine under mild conditions. MoS 2 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 NH 2 , OH, alkene groups were tolerated during the reduction of the nitro compounds. The reduction of p -chloronitrobenzene was studied over MoS 2 and Pd/C respectively with hydrazine. The yield of p -chloroaniline was much higher with MoS 2 than that with Pd/C at full conversion.