Selective reduction of nitroarenes to functional anilines is crucial to prepare numerous organic compounds for pharmaceutical, polymer, herbicidal, and fine chemical applications. In particular, the selective reduction of Ar–NO2 over a vinyl group (Ar-C=C) in an aromatic compound remains to be challenging because of the uncontrolled hydrogenation of both Ar-NO2 and Ar-C=C. Herein, copper nanoparticles are reported as new non-noble catalysts to catalyze AB for selective reduction of 3-nitrostyrene to 3-vinylaniline in ethanol at ambient conditions. After coupled to WO2.72 nanorods (NRs), Cu/WO2.72 show much improved activity and stability for both AB ethanolysis and nitrostyrene hydrogenation to vinyl aniline with &gt; 99 % chemoselectivity from 100 % conversion within 1.5 h at 298 K. So far, our new Cu/WO2.72 catalyst achieves much-enhanced hydrogenation selectivity and stability without using the pressured hydrogen compared with all other catalysts reported.

Copper catalysts reduce 3-nitrostyrene to 3-vinyl aniline chemoselectively by ammonia borane at ambient conditions

2019 Fall National Meeting

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