Nitroarenes were chemoselectively reduced to the corresponding amines using zinc and aqueous ammonium salts in ionic liquids as a safe and recyclable reaction medium. Our results specify the effect of ammonium salts in the process; the combination of Zn/NH4Cl in [bmim][PF6] or Zn/HCO2NH4 in [bmim][BF4] were the suitable conditions for the reduction of nitroarenes. Azobenzenes were also smoothly reduced to hydrazobenzenes with Zn/HCO2NH4 (aq.) in recyclable [bmim][BF4] without any over reduction to the corresponding anilines. © 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.