Cantillo D, Baghbanzadeh M, Kappe CO * Karl-Franzens-University, Graz, Austria
In Situ Generated Iron Oxide Nanocrystals as Efficient and Selective Catalysts for
the Reduction of Nitroarenes Using a Continuous Flow Method.
Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2012;
51: 10190-10193
Key words
iron - nanoparticles - nitroarenes - reduction - flow reaction
Significance
Iron oxide nanocrystals, generated in situ from Fe(acac)3 and hydrazine hydrate, catalyzed the reduction of nitroarenes with hydrazine hydrate
under microwave conditions to give the corresponding anilines in 95–99% yield (20
examples, eq. 1). In the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline using the batch system,
the catalyst was magnetically separated from the reaction mixture and reused seven
times.
Comment
The reduction of nitroarenes was also performed using a continuous-flow system to
afford the anilines in 95−97% yield (eq. 2). The in situ generated iron oxide nanoparticles
were characterized by XRD and HRTEM analyses. ICP–MS showed 7.9% iron leaching from
the catalyst during the reduction using the batch system.
