Rapid cleavage of azo compounds to amine/s using Raney nickel and ammonium formate or formic acid

Azo compounds, both symmetrical and unsymmetrical are cleaved to amine/s by using Raney nickel and ammonium formate or formic acid in methanol at room temperature. The reductive cleavage is very fast, clean, cost effective and high yielding as compared to earlier methods and many other functionality such as -OH, -CH3 -OCH3, -COOH, -COCH3 and halogen remained unaffected