Convenient reduction of nitrobenzenes to anilines using electrochemically generated nickel

The reduction of nitrobenzenes with electrogenerated nickel in DMF gave ani lines 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 Et4NBF4-DMF solution under an argon atmosphere at a constant curr ent (10 mA/cm(2)) and can be stored under argon at -20 degrees C for at lea st a week.