Reduction of Nitroarenes with Platinum-Encapsulating Polysiloxane Gels

Significance

A platinum-encapsulating poly­siloxane gel ([Pt]@Si_C6) was prepared by treatment of PMHS with 1,5-hexadiene in the presence of Karstedt’s catalyst in THP (eq. 1). [Pt]@Si_C6 catalyzed the hydrogenation of various nitro compounds under 10 atm of H₂ at room temperature to afford the corresponding amines in up to >99% yield (13 examples, eq. 2). In the hydrogenation of 4-nitroanisole, the catalyst was recovered by simple filtration and reused five times without significant loss of catalytic activity.