Chemoselective Reduction of Nitroarenes to Aromatic Amines with Commercial Metallic Iron Powder in Water Under Mild Reaction Conditions

Novel, chemoselective, non-hazardous and mild reaction protocol was developed for an efficient reduction of nitroarenes to aromatic amines using “iron activated water”. Water function as a terminal hydrogen source without any external catalyst, acid, salts or base and in the absence of a solvent. In the course of the reaction, zero valent iron was oxidized to magnetite.