nitration of benzene

nitrobenzene is used to make:

• explosives

• pesticides

• dyes

• pharmaceuticals

stage 1 : formation of the electrophile

the nitronium ion is the electrophile in this equation

stage 2 : electrophilic substitution of the nitronium ion into the benzene molecule

stage 3: regeneration of the catalyst

using higher temperatures increases the chance of a second substitution - forming the product 1,3-dinitrobenzene → so its important to keep temperature at 50^C to reduce this chance