Low loading Pt on TiO₂ for the ultra‐selective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes to chloroanilines

Abstract Low loading Pton TiO 2 were prepared by an impregnation‐reduction process for chemoselective hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes (CNBs) to chloroanilines (CANs). The structure and physicochemical properties were characterized by N 2 adsorption‐desorption, X‐ray diffraction, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and temperature programmedreduction. The low loading Pt(≤0.08 wt %) on TiO 2 exhibited outstanding chemoselectivity for the catalytic hydrogenation of CNBs to CANs, without any disturbance on carbon‐chlorine bond. The characterization data suggested that the Pt particles were highly dispersed on TiO 2 and strongelectronicinteractionsoccur between the dispersedPt andTiO 2 support, which led toelectron deficiency of nearly all Pt and production of suboxide TiO x species (x<2) in the 0.08 wt % Pt/TiO 2 . The electron‐deficient Pt and suboxide TiO x species favor N=O bondactivation, leading to its unique chemoselectivity.