title: Reduction of nitroarenes to azoxybenzenes by potassium borohydride in water.
abstract: The synthesis of the azoxybenzenes by the reduction of nitroarenes with reducing agent potassium borohydride in water was reported for the first time. PEG-400 was used as a phase transfer catalyst and could effectively catalyze the reduction. The electronic effects of substituent groups play an important role in determining the reduction efficiencies. Electron-withdrawing substituents promote the formation of the azoxybenzene products, while electron-releasing groups retard the reductions to various degrees depending on the extent of their electron-donating ability.
authors.affiliation: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shanxi University, Taiyuan 030006, China.
authors.forename: Yufang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ailing
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhenming
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D001894:Borohydrides / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000737:chemistry*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D001391:Azo Compounds; D001894:Borohydrides; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D014867:Water; C028371:potassium borohydride; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols; C046115:fenazox