Efficient and highly selective iron-catalyzed reduction of nitroarenes

Pyrolysis of iron–phenanthroline complexes supported on carbon leads to highly selective catalysts for the reduction of structurally diverse nitroarenes to anilines in 90–99% yields. Excellent chemoselectivity for the nitro group reduction is demonstrated.

Chem. Commun., 2011, 47, 10972-10974