Nitric Acid → 4-Nitrotoluene

Participants

Reaction Steps

Commercial aromatic nitration processes are generally operated with the mixed acid system comprising sulfuric and nitric acids. A substantial amount of nitric acid is typically lost in an economically and environmentally unsound manner in the spent acid of nitration. For example, conventional dinitrotoluene processes comprise reacting toluene in a first nitration stage to form mononitrotoluene and separating the organic product from the aqueous spent acid phase. The nitric acid in the spent acid phase is usually removed or recovered so that the remaining sulfuric acid can be reconcentrated and recycled. The crude mononitrotoluenes are then nitrated with fresh nitrating acid in a second nitration stage. The dinitrotoluene product is then separated from the aqueous spent acid phase which is recycled to a nitration stage.

Provenance & Evidence