Hydrazo compounds, from hydrogenation nitro groups

Hydrogenation of nitro groups may be stopped at the hydrazo stage with a proper catalyst and inhibitors. As shown in Fig. 2.31, the hydrazo compounds result from condensation of the nitroso and hydroxylamine and can be maximized or minimized (see the later discussion of nitroso group hydrogenation) depending on conditions. For example 2,2 -dichlorohydra-zobenzene can be prepared in 90% yield (Fig. 2.35).280... 

Nitro compounds are easily reduced, catalytically or chemically, to amino compounds. Incomplete reduction can lead to a hydroxylamino derivative or to binuclear azo, azoxy, and hydrazo compouds, e.g., 789 790, 791. Examples include reduction of 3-nitropyridines using aqueous sodium hydrosulfite at room temperature <2005JME5104> and of 2-nitropyridine by transfer hydrogenation in the presence of 10% Pd/G and recyclable polymer-supported formate, prepared from aminomethylpolystyrene resin and ammonium formate <2005SC223>. A nitro group can be reduced in the presence of an A-oxidc group, e.g., 784 782. 

The reaction sequence involved in the hydrogenation of aromatic nitro groups is shown in Scheme 19.1. This can be classed as a complex Type III selectivity. The end product from all paths is the aniline (10), but intermediates such as hydroxylamines (11), azo (12), azoxy (13), and hydrazo (14) compounds are present and can sometimes be isolated under the proper reaction conditions. In general, the dimeric products usually form in alkaline media, the partially reduced monomeric species form in neutral solutions, and anilines are produced in acid. The best yields of partially reduced products are obtained when the reaction is interrupted before it stops spontaneously and when it is carried out in the presence of various modifiers. ... 

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