A Novel Transfer Hydrogenation with High Hydrogen Utilization for the Hydrogenation of Halogenated Nitrobenzene without Hydrodehalogenation

In the novel catalytic transfer hydrogenation, 12 active hydrogen (H-*) can be transferred from water/ethanol system as the efficient hydrogen donor and used directly for the hydrogenation of halogenated nitrobenzene over Ru-Fe/C catalyst, obtaining o-chloroaniline (o-CAN) with 98.0% selectivity at 99.8% conversion without hydrodehalogenation. Most other halogenated nitrobenzenes were reduced with selectivity > 98%, and conversion > 99.0%. Moreover, the Ru-Fe/C catalyst was still active after reaction for 480 h.