Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are difficult substrates for hydrogenation because of the thermodynamic stability caused by aromaticity. We report here the first chromium- and cobalt-catalyzed, regiocontrolled hydrogenation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at ambient temperature. These reactions were promoted by low-cost chromium or cobalt salts combined with diimino/carbene ligand and methylmagnesium