Facile hydrogen-transfer reduction of multiple bonds by formic acid catalysed with a Pd-561 giant cluster

A palladium-561 giant cluster/HCOOH hydrogen-transfer reduction system has been found to be efficient for the liquid-phase hydrogenation of aromatic and aliphatic compounds with N=O, C≡N, C=O and C=C bonds under mild conditions; the reduction of nitriles is accompanied by metathesis of amines under unusually mild conditions.