Hydrogenation of nitroarenes on silica-supported copper catalyst

A 9% Cu/SiO₂ catalyst prepared by the deposition– precipitation technique was active in the hydrogenation of substituted nitrobenzenes at 170 °C and 13 atm H₂ in a batch reactor. Nitro groups were selectively reduced to NH₂ groups except for the case of 5-bromo-1,3-dinitrobenzene. The selectivity of the overall process is somewhat suppressed by inevitable formation of azo compounds and traces of tars due to the reactions of the obtained amines with nitroso intermediates.