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 substituents such as carbonyl, ethene, ethyne, nitrile, acid, phenol etc, is selectively and rapidly reduced at room temperature to corresponding amino derivatives in good yield employing formic acid in the presence of 10% palladium 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.