Convert P nitrobenzoic acid to nitrobenzene
Answers
The Nitration Mechanism
(a) Formation of nitronium ion
(i) The sulfuric acid protonates the nitric acid.
(ii) The protonated nitric acid loses a molecule of water to form nitronium ion
(b) Nitration of toluene
(i) Nitronium ion attacks the aromatic ring
Attack occurs at all possible positions to form resonance stabilized carbonation.
I. The Nitration Mechanism
(a) Formation of nitronium ion
(i) The sulfuric acid protonates the nitric acid.
(ii) The protonated nitric acid loses a molecule of water to form nitronium ion
(b) Nitration of toluene
(i) Nitronium ion attacks the aromatic ring
Attack occurs at all possible positions to form resonance .
However, the cations formed by ortho and para attack are more stable than those formed by meta attack.
They put the positive charge next to the methyl group, which is electron-donating and adds to the stabilization.
(ii) The hydrogen sulfate ion formed in Step (a) (i) removes a proton from the intermediate, regenerating the aromatic ring and the sulfuric acid catalyst.
