γ‐Terpinene: Biorenewable Reductant for the Molybdenum‐Catalyzed Reduction of Sulfoxides, N‐Oxides and Nitroarenes

A molybdenum‐catalyzed deoxygenation of sulfoxides, pyridine and quinoline N‐oxides, N‐hydroxybenzotriazoles, as well as the reduction of nitroarenes to anilines, has been developed using monocyclic terpenes such as γ‐terpinene as an environmentally benign hydrogen surrogate. The only byproducts generated are water and p‐cymene, under neat reaction conditions in which the terpene acts as both solvent and reducing agent. These features make this approach a highly attractive and sustainable alternative for the reduction of S−O and N−O containing compounds. Additionally, the reaction exhibited excellent chemoselectivity, tolerating a wide variety of functional groups.