Two phase nitration of toluene — I

✍ Scribed by P.R. Cox; A.N. Strachan

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1972
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 531 KB
• Volume: 27
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0009-2509
• DOI: 10.1016/0009-2509(72)87001-5

✦ Synopsis

The two phase nitration of toluene has been studied between 15 and 35°C using 70.2 per cent sulphuric acid containing nitric acid at an initial concentration of 0.032 mol I.-', and a 1 : i' volume ratio mixture of toluene and chlorobenzene. The results are consistent with the kinetic and mass transfer rates being of comparable magnitude, and being in competition with one another for control of the overall rate. The solubility of toluene in the acid phase, the kinetic rate constant, and the overall mass transfer coefficient times the interfacial area per unit volume of the acid phase, have been determined as a function of temperature. Values of 3430 f 200 and 16,100 2 100 cal mol-r are obtained for the heat of solution and the activation energy of nitration, respectively, of toluene in 70.2 per cent sulphuric acid.