Our master searcher PolytheneSam found this patent Patent US4273679 (http://l2.espacenet.com/dips/viewer?PN=US4273679&CY=gb&LG=en&DB=EPD)
. It describes things to use to activate aluminum beside mercury. They reduced a few nitrogen containing functional groups to amines with this activated aluminum in good yields.
Aluminum can seemingly be activated with salts of more electro positive elements like iron.
E.g. 27g aluminum grains was stirred with 100 ml N(?) hydrochloric acid and 5 g ferrous sulphate for one hour at 60-80°C. The solution is removed by decantation and the metal is washed with water, then it is ready for use.
Could this be something to use in the MeNO2/MDP2P reductions?
Catalytic hydrogenation freak
Now we need some people to test it. I believe those alloys are also couples. Maybe looking into the theory of the use of couples in reduction processes would help to find the best ones.
http://www.geocities.com/dritte123/PSPF.html (http://www.geocities.com/dritte123/PSPF.html)
The hardest thing to explain is the obvious