Formic acid with 10% palladium on carbon: A reagent for selective reduction of aromatic nitro compounds

The nitro group in aromatic nitro compounds also containing reducible subst ituents such as carbonyl, ethene, ethyne, nitrile, acid, phenol etc, is sel ectively and rapidly reduced at room temperature to corresponding amino der ivatives in good yield employing formic acid in the presence of 10% palladi um on carbon. The catalyst could be recovered and reused after washing with water and ethanol, and the results obtained indicate further, there is no apparent loss of catalytic activity.