Document Type : Full research article

Authors

• Mehdi Hosseini ¹
• سعیده شکیبافر ²
• طیبه ساکی ²

¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Ayatollah Boroujerdi University

² دانش آموخته کارشناسی شیمی، گروه شیمی، دانشکده علوم پایه، دانشکده علوم پایه، دانشگاه آیت ا...بروجردی، بروجرد، ایران

Abstract

An environmentally friendly and safe method has been developed for synthesizing Azoarene and Azoxyarene derivatives from readily available nitrobenzene. This process utilizes a deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of choline chloride (ChCl) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2), which functions as both the catalyst and reaction medium. The methodology is leveraging the dual role of the ChCl/ZnCl2 DES. Using this approach, various Azo and Azoxy compounds have been successfully synthesized starting from nitrobenzene derivatives. The reaction proceeded efficiently under mild conditions (3 h at 60 °C). Notably, the system exhibited strong selectivity toward Azoxy products, which were obtained in high yields of 73-78%. In contrast, Azo derivatives were formed only in moderate yield (42%), highlighting the selective nature of the ChCl/ZnCl2 DES catalytic medium. This method not only simplifies the synthesis but also aligns with the principles of green chemistry, offering an efficient and sustainable approach to producing Azoarene and Azoxyarene derivatives.

Keywords

• Deep eutectic solvents (DESs)
• ChCl/ZnCl2 catalytic system
• Nitrobenzene reduction
• Azoarene and Azoxyarene synthesis
• Green chemistry
• Selective reduction