Acetic Acid → 4-Nitrobenzoic Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

With the addition of 8 g KBr and 50 g Co(OAc)2 . 4H2O, 600 grams of p-nitrotoluene was oxidized in 2500 ml of glacial acetic acid at a reaction temperature of 120° C. The absorption of oxygen began at 95° C and ended 3 hours later. While the minimum oxygen content in the residual gas was determined to be 3.6%, qualitative testing for CO2 remained negative. 681 g of p-nitrobenzoic acid (93% of the theory) was isolated from the reaction mixture, with a neutralization equivalent of 167.5 and a melting point of 239° C. An additional 45 g of p-nitrobenzoic acid was found acidimetrically in the residue obtained by concentrating the mother liquor (total yield 99% of the theory).

Provenance & Evidence