Facile, Product‐Selective Reduction of Azoxyarenes into Azoarenes or Hydrazoarenes by Aluminium/Hydrazine Hydrate

Abstract

Azoxyarenes, on treatment with hydrazine hydrate in presence of aluminium powder in methanol, undergo reduction. The reactions have been carried under microwave irradiation as well at reflux to get the corresponding hydrazoarenes and azoarenes as reduced products. The reaction is very fast, which gives excellent yield of the product. Substituents such as OCH₃, OC₂H₅, and Cl are unaffected.

Keywords:

• Aluminium powder
• azoarenes
• azoxyarenes
• hydrazine hydrate
• hydrazoarenes

Acknowledgments

H. M. Nanjundaswamy thanks the Joint Director of Public Health Institute and the Commissioner of H & F W Services, Bangalore, India, for encouragement.