What is the equilibrium of concentrated nitric acid + sulfuric acid to form nitrobenzene obtained by nitrating benzene?

1 Answer
anor277
Dec 12, 2016

Sulfuric and nitric acids form a nitrating mixture by protonation, and formation of the #NO_2^+# electrophile.

Explanation:

Sulfuric acid is a strong enuff acid to dehydrate nitric acid:

#HO-S(=O)_2OH + HO-N^(+)(=O)O^(-)#

#rightleftharpoonsHSO_4^(-) + H_2""^(+)O-N^(+)(=O)O^(-)#

#rightleftharpoons H_2O+""^(+)NO_2 + HSO_4^-#

The #"nitronium ion"#, #""^+NO_2#, in which the nitrogen is formally quaternized, is a potent electrophile, and can react with aryl species to give nitrated rings.

Related questions
See all questions in Oxidation and Reduction Reactions
Impact of this question
3025 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License