Metal-Free Hydrogenation and One-pot Amidation with Carboxylic Acids of Nitroaromatics using S8 or CS2

The chemoselective catalytic reduction of nitro compounds represents the most important and prevalent process in manufacturing functionalized anilines. Consequently, the development of selective catalysts for the reduction of nitro compounds in the presence of other reducible groups is a major crucial challenge. Herein, a novel, simple, and metal-free, S8 or CS2 mediated reduction of nitroarenes is used to provide the corresponding amine or amide with H2O or acids as solvents and hydrogen sources. Different reaction conditions were optimized and a series of amines and amides were obtained with good yields. The present method provides effective and convenient approaches to synthesize amines and amides.