Nitro derivatives of ethylbenzene

Ethylbenzene is always present in crude xylene and in solvent-naphtha. Since the boiling point of ethylbenzene (136°C) is identical with the boiling point of p- xylene, the two are difficult to separate. It is possible to do so by cooling, as the freezing point of ethylbenzene is -94.9%. 

Fittig and Tollens [27] obtained ethylbenzene by synthesis from chlorobenzene and ethyl chloride. At first they believed it was xylene (basing their view on its boiling point). However, the substance did not yield a crystalline product when nitrated, as in the case of xylene, but an oily one, from which they inferred that the ethylphenyl they had obtained was not xylene. 

Beilstein and Kuhlberg [28], by nitrating ethylbenzene with a mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids at a low temperature obtained two oily products which proved to be o- and p- nitroethylbenzenes. 

Weisweiller [29], and later Schultz and Sander [30] obtained 2,4-dinitroethyl-benzene and 2,4,6-trinitroethylbenzene  

For the preparation of trinitroethylbenzene (m. p. 37°C) ethylbenzene was treated with a mixture of nitric acid (sp. gr. 1.525) and 30% oleum, initially at 0°C, then the temperature was raised to 100°C and maintained there for 15-20 min. After cooling, the trinitroethylbenzene formed remained in the solution. By pouring the latter into water, the oily product was separated, which then solidified to form a crystalline mass. 

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Niiro derivatives of mesitvlene Nitro derivatives of ethylbenzene Nilrosolvem-naphthi Hexanitrostilbene Niiro derivatives of diphenyl Nitration of mixtures Nitre derivatives of polymers Literature... 

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