An efficient and green protocol for the reduction of nitroaromatic compounds to the corresponding amines has been developed. The reduction catalyst system includes NH2NH2·H2O and H2O2-treated activated carbon. Without adding additional metals, the H2O2-treated activated carbon could be reused for many cycles without decreasing catalytic efficiency. The aromatic amines could be obtained in good to excellent yields.

A new series of paeonol Schiff base derivatives containing a 1,2,3-triazole moiety were synthesized using the copper(I) catalyzed azide-alkynecycloaddition (CuAAC) reaction and evaluated for their cytotoxicity in vitro against human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells, human lung cancer A549 cells, and human liver cancer HepG2 cells. Unfortunately, all the tested compounds showed poor activities toward the human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells and human liver cancer HepG2 cells. However, compounds (1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)methyl)imino)ethyl)-5-methoxyphenol (4i) exhibited inhibitory activities toward human lung cancer A549 cells (IC 50 = 45.1 μM for 4c and 78.9 μM for 4i) compared with that of paeonol, which indicated that such paeonol Schiff base derivatives containing a 1,2,3-triazole moiety could be further modified to obtain good cytotoxicity in vitro against human lung cancer A549 cells. K E Y W O R D Sagainst human lung cancer, CuAAC reaction, paeonol Schiff base, triazole

An efficient and simple protocol for the synthesis of aryl azides by the coupling of aryl iodides with sodium azide, in good to excellent yields in DMSO at 95 °C under catalysis by Cu(OAc)2-H2O and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene (DBU), has been established. The optimised loadings of Cu(OAc)2-H2O and DBU were 10 mol% and 15 mol% respectively.