Efficient room-temperature hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds to primary amines using nitrogen-doped carbon-supported palladium catalysts

Abstract

Hydrogenation of nitro compounds is a cost-effective approach to the synthesis of amines, but it is typically limited by harsh reaction conditions. Herein, we report the development of novel nitrogen-doped carbon-supported palladium (Pd/CN) catalysts that can efficiently catalyze the hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds to produce primary amines under mild conditions (room temperature and atmospheric H₂ pressure). Control experiments reveal that Pd nanoparticles are the active centers. Additionally, the nitrogen-rich doping of the carbon support provides abundant anchoring sites for Pd centers, which is likely the key to room-temperature activity. With the optimized Pd_2.0/CN-300 catalyst, a variety of primary amines could be synthesized in high yields. This study demonstrates a successful strategy for developing novel supported catalysts for mild hydrogenation reactions.