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

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 <1%, respectively, in the conversion range of 9–100%. The high chemoselectivity to chloroaniline cannot be achieved over Ni/TiO2 in ethanol and n-hexane. In situ high-pressure Fourier transform infrared measurements were made to study the molecular interactions of CO2 with the following reactant and reaction intermediates: chloronitrobenzene, chloronitrosobenzene, and N-chlorophenylhydroxylamine. The molecular interaction modifies the reactivity of each species and accordingly the reaction rate and the selectivity. The influence of Cl substituent on the interaction modes of CO2 with these reacting species is discussed. Possible reaction pathways for the hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzene in scCO2 over Ni/TiO2 are also proposed.