The reduction of nitrobenzene derivatives to the corresponding aromatic amines was studied using sodium borohydride and various metal sulfides (MxSy). The effectiveness of copper sulfide (CuS), zinc sulfide (ZnS), iron sulfide (FeS4), nickel sulfide (NiS) and cobalt sulfide (Co3S4) was determined using the reduction of nitrobenzene to aniline as the model reaction. Nitrobenzene was successfully reduced to aniline using NaBH4.  Quantitative conversions (as determined by GC) were achieved using Co3S4 and NiS as catalysts. Fe3S4 and ZnS caused no apparent effect on the reduction of nitrobenzene while CuS caused a marginal increase. The reduction procedure was successfully applied to nitrobenzene compounds containing both electron donating and electron withdrawing groups. The newly developed method represents a milder alternative for the effective conversion of nitro groups into amine groups.

Reduction of nitrobenzene derivatives using sodium borohydride and transition metal sulfides

247th National Meeting (2014)

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