Formic acid with 10% palladium on carbon: A reagent for selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds

Abstract

The nitro group in aromatic nitro compounds also containing reducible substituents such as carbonyl, ethane,ethyne, nitrile, acid, phenol etc. is selectively and rapidly reduced at room temperature to corresponding amino derivatives in good yield employing formic acid in the

presence of 10% palladium on carbon. The catalyst could be recovered and reused after washing with water and.ethanol, and the results obtained indicate further, there is no

apparent loss of catalytic activity.