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Preparation of substituted anilines from nitro compounds by using supported gold catalysts

Nature Protocols volume 1, pages 2590–2595 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

A protocol for the chemoselective hydrogenation of nitro compounds to the corresponding anilines by means of supported gold catalysts is described. Nitro groups on different compounds — containing double bonds, carbonyl, nitrile or amide groups — have been successfully hydrogenated on supported gold nanoparticles (Au/TiO2 and Au/Fe2O3), using a batch reactor under H2 pressure. Unlike other noble metals, gold shows high chemoselectivity towards reduction of the nitro group, at near-complete conversion of the substrate. The total time to carry out this protocol strongly depends on the reaction step, which is a function of the activity of the catalyst and the nature of the substrate.

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Figure 1: Schematic of the synthesis of several substituted amino compounds.
Figure 2: The SPR16 reactor from AMTEC.

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Acknowledgements

Financial support from the Spanish government (Project MAT 2003-07945-C02-01, and grant FPU AP2003-4635) and the EU Commission (TOPCOMBI Project) is gratefully acknowledged.

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  1. Instituto de Tecnología Química, UPV-CSIC, Av. los Naranjos, s/n, Valencia, 46022, Spain

    Avelino Corma & Pedro Serna

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  1. Avelino Corma
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  2. Pedro Serna
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Correspondence to Avelino Corma.

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Corma, A., Serna, P. Preparation of substituted anilines from nitro compounds by using supported gold catalysts. Nat Protoc 1, 2590–2595 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nprot.2006.441

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