Highly efficient and selective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes to chloroanilines by H2 over confined silver nanoparticles

Abstract

Ag NPs with sizes ranging form 5–6 nm confined into mesoporous silica SBA-15 (Ag-NPs/SBA-15) are successfully prepared by a facile and rapid glucose/glycol assisted one-step vacuum impregnation method. The as-prepared Ag-NPs/SBA-15 catalyst shows very good activity and selectivity for hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes to the corresponding chloroanilines by H₂ compared with that of the SiO₂ supported Ag catalysts. The robust catalytic performance of the as-prepared Ag-NPs/SBA-15 catalyst displays its potential application for the production of chloroanilines in the fine chemicals industry.