Sodium Hydroxide → (2-Amino-3-chlorophenyl)amine

12.5 g (72.4 mmol) of 3-chloro-2-nitroaniline was dissolved in methanol (250 ml), and a solution prepared by dissolving 57.2 g (253 mmol) of tin (II) chloride dihydrate in concentrated hydrochloric acid (75 mL) was added dropwise. The reaction mixture was heated with stirring for 3 hours, and concentrated under reduced pressure. Water was added to the residue thus obtained, and the solution was alkalinized with a 25% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide, and extracted with methylene chloride. The extracted organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and then concentrated under reduced pressure, to obtain 10.5 g (yield: >99%) of 3-chloro-1,2-phenylenediamine as a pale magenta-colored liquid.