Tin(II) chloride selectively reduces the aromatic nitro group to the amino group, the azoxy group remaining intact. This allows the preparation of 2-(R-NNO-azoxy)anilines from 2-(R-NNO-azoxy)nitrobenzenes bearing electron-donating or weak electron-withdrawing substituents (Me or Br) in the benzene ring and alkyl substituents at the distal N atom of the azoxy group. The presence of electron-withdrawing substituents at the azoxy group (for example, CO2Et) leads to a change in the direction of the reaction resulting in selective reduction of the azoxy group to the hydrazo group.