Organocatalytic vs. Ru-based electrochemical hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in competition with the hydrogen evolution reaction.

The electrochemical reduction of organic contaminants allows their removal from water. In this contribution, the electrocatalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene is studied using both oxidized carbon fibres and ruthenium nanoparticles supported on unmodified carbon fibres as catalysts. The two systems produce azoxynitrobenzene as the main product, while aniline is only observed in minor quantities.