Arene Reduction by Rh/Pd or Rh/Pt under 1 atm Hydrogen Gas and Room Temperature

Current methods for arene hydrogenation generally need either harsh reaction conditions or complex catalyst preparation. Here we describe a mild and convenient protocol that only utilizes commercially available catalysts. Using [Rh(nbd)Cl]₂ and Pd/C together as catalysts, arenes bearing various functional groups can be hydrogenated under 1 atm of H₂ at room temperature. This arene hydrogenation can also be achieved using catalysts of [Rh(cod)Cl]₂ and PtO₂, thus avoiding glovebox manipulations and simplifying the reaction procedure.