Highly Selective Electroreduction of Nitrobenzene to Aniline by Co-Doped 1T-MoS₂

The selective electrocatalytic reduction of nitrobenzene (NB) to aniline demands a desirable cathodic catalyst to overcome the challenges of the competing hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), a higher overpotential, and a lower selectivity. Here, we deposit Co-doped 1T MoS 2 on Ti mesh by the solvothermal method with different doping percentages of Co as x % Co–MoS 2 (where x = 3, 5, 8, 10, and 12%). Because of the lowest overpotential, lower charge-transfer resistance, strong suppression of the competing HER, and higher electrochemical surface area, 8% Co–MoS 2 achieves 94% selectivity of aniline with 54% faradaic efficiency. The reduction process follows first-order dynamics with a reaction coefficient of 0.5 h –1 . Besides, 8% Co–MoS 2 is highly stable and retains 81% selectivity even after 8 cycles. Mechanistic studies showed that the selective and exothermic adsorption of the nitro group at x % Co–MoS 2 leads to a higher rate of NB reduction and higher selectivity of aniline. The aniline product is successfully removed from the solution by polymerization at FTO. This study signifies the impact of doping metal atoms in tuning the electronic arrangement of 1T-MoS 2 for the facilitation of organic transformations.