Iron oxide nanoparticles supported on activated carbon fibers catalyze chemoselective reduction of nitroarenes under mild conditions

•Structured active carbon fiber supports.•Iron oxide nanoparticles are active in catalytic transfer hydrogenation.•High chemoselectivity in the reduction of functionalized nitroarenes by hydrazine.•Production of the anilines under mild conditions.

Highly dispersed iron oxide (Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) have been immobilized on structured supports of activated carbon fibers (ACF). Systematic catalyst characterizations suggest that ACF-based catalysts remain ultra-microporous after Fe2O3 NPs (∼2 nm) deposition. The structured nano-catalysts show high activity and chemoselectivity in reduction of different functionalized nitroarenes to the corresponding anilines giving yields of the target products close to 100%. The reaction takes place under mild conditions at normal pressure and low temperatures (<333 K) using hydrazine hydrate as a reducing agent.

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