Oxygen surface groups of activated carbon steer the chemoselective hydrogenation of substituted nitroarenes over nickel nanoparticles.

Oxygen surface groups of activated carbon, produced by nitric acid treatment, are not only able to prevent Ni particles from sintering but are also able to preferentially interact with the nitro group of substituted nitroarenes. The resulting Ni/ACOX catalyst is highly active and chemoselective for hydrogenation of nitroarenes to produce functionalized anilines and oximes.