Convenient Reduction of Nitrobenzenes to Anilines Using Electrochemically Generated Nickel

Abstract

The reduction of nitrobenzenes with electrogenerated nickel in DMF gave anilines without affecting the alkenyl, alkynyl, halo, acetyl, methoxy, cyano, ethoxycarbonyl, formyl, benzyloxy, and phenylsulfonylamino groups at room temperature in a short time. The nickel was easily prepared by electrolysis in 0.3 M Et 4 NBF 4 −DMF solution under an argon atmosphere at a constant current (10 mA/cm 2 ) and can be stored under argon at −20 °C for at least a week.