LAUSR

Abstract Highly efficient and cost-effective NiO-based carbon nanocomposite (NiO/CNP) was prepared for the transfer hydrogenation of aromatic aldehydes and reduction of nitrophenols. Uniform dispersion of NiO nanoparticles, surface area of NiO/CNP (67 m 2  g −1 ), chemical state and content of Ni in NiO/CNP (+2, 5.1 wt%) were confirmed. High rate constant (k app ) values of 4.2 × 10 −2  s −1 and 3.06 × 10 −2  s −1 were calculated for the NiO/CNP–catalyzed reduction of nitrophenols. The NiO/CNP demonstrated an excellent catalytic activity towards the transfer hydrogenation reactions under very mild reaction conditions. Chemoselectivity, heterogeneity, stability, reusability and scale reaction of the NiO/CNP system were tested.