• Conventional synthesis of p-aminophenol (PAP) involves environmentally problematic processes, leading to challenges in various industries, including pharmaceuticals, dyes, and photography.
• Zirconium-based catalysts have been proposed but suffer from water intolerance, sulfate ion release, and corrosion, requiring specialized equipment and increasing operational costs.
• Existing catalysts used for hydrogenation and rearrangement steps contribute to the formation of undesired by-products like aniline.
• There is therefore a need for a bifunctional catalyst that is anti-corrosive, exhibits high conversion rates, and facilitates a one-step hydrogenation and rearrangement of nitrobenzene to PAP.

The present invention relates to a selective bifunctional (M-ZrP) for selective liquid phase catalytic hydrogenation of reactants and a method for preparation.

• The M-ZrP catalyst (Fig. 1) includes 0.2 to 0.4 wt.% of a hydrogenation noble metal supported on zirconium phosphate. The method of preparation is disclosed in figure 2A.
• The M- ZrP catalyst exhibits an amorphous structure a surface area in the range of 4 – 5 m2/g.
• A single pot method of forming para-aminophenol (PAP) in a one-step reaction is disclosed in figure 2B.
• The method includes mixing nitrobenzene, the bifunctional catalyst and a phase transfer agent mixing (PTA). Fig. 3.
• The mixture is stirred to initiate the hydrogenenation and rearrangement reactions to obtain a mixture containing paraaminophenol (PAP).
• The catalyst demonstrates enhanced conversion of at least 90 % towards nitrobenzene and selectivity of at least 70 % towards PAP.