Question

Discuss the mechanism of nitration in benzene

Answer 1

Benzene is treated with a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated sulfuric acid at a temperature not exceeding 50°C. As temperature increases there is a greater chance of getting more than one nitro group, -NO2, substituted onto the ring. Nitrobenzene is formed:

C6H6+HNO3→C6H5NO2+H2O