Catalytic Reductions and Tandem Reactions of Nitro Compounds Using in Situ Prepared Nickel Boride Catalyst in Nanocellulose Solution

A mild and efficient method for the in situ reduction of a wide range of nitroarenes and aliphatic nitrocompounds to amines in excellent yields using nickel chloride/sodium borohydride in a solution of TEMPO-oxidized nanocellulose in water (0.01 wt %) is described. The nanocellulose has a stabilizing effect on the catalyst, which increases the turnover number and enables low loading of nickel catalyst (0.1–0.25 mol % NiCl2). In addition, two tandem protocols were developed in which the in situ formed amines were either Boc-protected to carbamates or further reacted with an epoxide to yield β-amino alcohols in excellent yields.