Transfer Hydrogenative Cleavage of N═N Bond of Azoarenes to Aminoarenes Using Ruthenium Catalyst

Textile industry contaminants cause significant pollution of water resources, making them a major worry in the modern age. Azo dyes, one of the most harmful synthetic colors generated in textile industry pollutants, are particularly persistent in water bodies due to their chemical composition. In this study, an efficient transfer hydrogenative cleavage of the ─N═N─ moiety containing azoarene to their corresponding aminoarenes is accomplished using a terpyridine-based ruthenium complex. This report depicts the suitable transformations from the azoarene by adopting a minimal base and catalyst loading. The preliminary mechanistic studies disclosed the selective conversion of azoarenes to its complete ─N═N─ cleavage products, aminoarenes, through the hydrazoarenes intermediate.