Low-temperature copper hydrosilicates: catalysts for reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with molecular hydrogen

The catalytic reduction of aromatic nitro compounds with hydrogen was carried out for the first time over low-temperature copper hydrosilicates synthesized at 92–110 °C as catalysts. Copper hydrosilicates demonstrated high catalytic activity and selectivity towards nitrobenzene hydrogenation to aniline and p -dinitrobenzene hydrogenation to p -nitroaniline and p -phenylenediamine under relatively mild conditions (150–170 °C, hydrogen pressure of 1.3 MPa).