Keith Smith, Mansour D. Ajarim, G. El‐Hiti
Jan 5, 2010
Citations
0
Influential Citations
23
Citations
Journal
Catalysis Letters
Abstract
Nitration of benzonitrile was investigated using a nitric acid/acid anhydride/zeolite catalyst system under different reaction conditions. Trifluoroacetic and chloroacetic anhydrides were found to be the most active among the anhydrides tried. Also, zeolites Hβ and Fe3+β (Si/Al = 12.5) were found to be the most active catalysts. For example, nitration of benzonitrile with trifluoroacetyl nitrate under reflux conditions in dichloromethane gave 3- and 4-nitrobenzonitriles in quantitative yield, of which the para-isomer represented 24–28%. The yield of para-isomer was improved to 33% when passivated Hβ was used under similar reaction conditions. This is easily the most para-selective nitration of benzonitrile ever recorded. Also, no ortho-isomer was formed under the conditions tried. The zeolite can be easily recovered, regenerated by heating and reused up to six times to give results similar to those obtained with a fresh sample of the catalyst. The nitration system was applied successfully to a range of deactivated mono-substituted benzenes to give para-isomers in significantly higher proportions than in the corresponding traditional nitration reactions.Graphical Abstract