Nitric Acid → 2-Hydroxy-3-nitrobiphenyl

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Reaction Steps

In step (1) of Reaction Scheme 1, a 2-hydroxybiphenyl of Formula II is nitrated using nitric acid in the presence of acetic acid to provide a 2-hydroxy-3-nitrobiphenyl of Formula III. A preferred method of carrying out this reaction is as follows. The biphenyl of Formula II is dissolved in glacial acetic acid at a temperature of 15° to 20° C. Concentrated nitric acid is then added thereto and the resulting mixture is stirred for a short period of time (usually less than about one hour). Thereafter the mixture is diluted with an equal volume of water. The 2-hydroxy-3-nitrobiphenyl of Formula III is separated from the mixture, usually as an oil, and is triturated with hot hexane and purified by chromotography. As an alternative to conducting step (1), known 2-hydroxy-3-nitrobiphenyls may be employed directly in step (2) below.

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