Selective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene to chloroaniline in supercritical carbon dioxide over Ni/TiO2: Significance of molecular interactions

The chemoselective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene to chloroaniline can be achieved at any conversion levels up to 100% over Ni/TiO2 in scCO2 at 35°C. The hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene to chloroaniline was investigated over Ni/TiO2 at 35°C in supercritical CO2 (scCO2 ), ethanol, and n-hexane. The reaction rate followed the order of scCO2 > n-hexane>ethanol. In scCO2 , the selectivity to chloroaniline and to aniline over Ni/TiO2 were 97-99.5% and