Nitro groups on different compounds - containing double bonds, carbonyl, nitrile or halide groups - have been successfully hydrogenated with well-defined homogeneous gold and palladium complexes as catalysts using a batch reactor under low H-2 pressure. Gold complexes show high chemoselectivity towards reduction of the nitro group at near-complete conversion of the substrate. The corresponding amino derivatives are isolated in high yields. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.