Nitrating Mixture

Nitrating Mixture

 

a mixture of concentrated nitric acid or nitrogen oxides with inorganic compounds (H2SO4, BF3, and AlCl3) or organic compounds (for example, acetic anhydride). It generates the active nitrating species NO2+ (the nitronium cation):

2H2SO4 + HNO3 → NO2+ + H3O+ + 2HSO4-

Nitrating mixtures are used to nitrate aromatic compounds (mainly a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids) and unsaturated aliphatic compounds, as well as in the production of nitroamino compounds (nitramines) and nitro esters.