Efficient and Selective Synthesis of Mononitrotoluene Derivatives

Mononitrotoluene derivatives have broad applications in textile, agriculture, pharmaceutical and military industries. These compounds are widely used as raw materials in the synthesis of other military materials such as toluidines and cresols and also as detection taggants for explosive detection. In this research, o- nitrotoluene and p- nitrotoluene derivatives have been selectively synthesized by nitration of toluene with nitric acid in the presence of some immobilized and nonimmobilized diacidic ionic liquid catalysts. The conversion of toluene was 100% in all of these reactions and no dinitrotoluene or trinitrotoluene byproduct has been produced. High yields of the products, short reaction times (2 to 4 hours), no presence of the byproducts and recoverability and reusability of the catalysts are as advantages of this method.