Mo 2 N as a high-efficiency catalyst for transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene using stoichiometric hydrazine hydrate

A straightforward and commonly-used approach of direct pyrolysis for the preparation of molybdenum nitride (Mo 2 N) is conducted via reduction of MoO 3 under ammonia atmosphere. The as-synthesized Mo 2 N catalyst demonstrated high activity for transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, giving a 99% aniline yield at near-room temperature of 30 °C within only 50 min. More significantly, the amount of the hydrogen donor hydrazine monohydrate (N 2 H 4 · H 2 O) can be limited to stoichiometric molar ratio (-NO 2 : N 2 H 4 · H 2 O = 1: 1.5), preventing the possible generation of hazardous NH 3, which is seldom reported in previous protocols. Through various characterizations and control experiments, conclusively, the remarkable catalytic performance of Mo 2 N catalyst should be credited to the large quantity of Lewis-acidic Mo sites. This research might provide a practical approach to aromatic amines production.