Catalytic activation of hydrazine hydrate by gold nanoparticles: Chemoselective reduction of nitro compounds into amines

•Supported gold nanoparticles catalyze for the first time the activation of hydrazine.•Hydrazine was used as a transfer hydrogenation agent.•Chemoselective reduction of aryl and alkyl nitro compounds into amines was observed.•Catalyst was recycled several times without loss of its activity.

Supported gold nanoparticles (< 1 mol%) catalyze for the first time the activation of NH2NH2 as a transfer hydrogenation agent. Aryl and alkyl nitro compounds are cleanly and selectively reduced into the corresponding amines in the presence of 4 equivalents of hydrazine. The reaction tolerates other potentially reducible functionalities such as carboxylate, carbonyl, cyano or halides which remain intact.

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