Reduction of nitrobenzene gives

The correct answer is Option (2) → Aniline

The reaction shown is a classic example of catalytic hydrogenation of an aromatic nitro compound.

The nitrobenzene ($\text{C}_6\text{H}_5\text{NO}_2$) reacts with hydrogen gas ($\text{H}_2$) in the presence of a palladium ($\text{Pd}$) catalyst and an ethanol solvent.

The Reaction

This specific set of reagents ($\text{H}_2/\text{Pd}$ or often $\text{H}_2/\text{Pd/C}$) is a powerful and common method used to reduce the nitro functional group ($\text{–NO}_2$) to a primary amino functional group ($\text{–NH}_2$).

The chemical transformation is:

The Product

The reduction of nitrobenzene gives Aniline (also known as Phenylamine).

• The benzene ring remains intact.
• The nitro group ($\text{–NO}_2$) is completely reduced to the amino group ($\text{–NH}_2$).