Selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes to aminoarenes using a MoOx-modified Ru/SiO2 catalyst under mild conditions.

Modification of Ru/SiO2 with metal oxides (MoOx, WOx, and ReOx) improved the activity and selectivity in the hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene to 3-aminostyrene under mild conditions such as 0.3 MPa H2, 303 K, and no solvent. Ru-MoOx/SiO2(Mo/Ru = 1/2) catalyst was applicable to various substituted nitroarenes, providing the corresponding substituted aminoarenes in high yields (85-99%).