Abstract An efficient and practical arene hydrogenation procedure based on the use of heterogeneous platinum group catalysts has been developed. Rh/C is the most effective catalyst for the hydrogenation of the aromatic ring, which can be conducted in iPrOH under neutral conditions and at ordinary to medium H 2 pressures (< 10 atm). A variety of arenes such as alkylbenzenes, benzoic acids, pyridines, furans, are hydrogenated to the ...