Nitro-derivatives of toluene

Toxicity. Picric Acid is more toxic than the nitro derivatives of toluene, xylene or naphthalene. It is, however, much less toxic than nitro derivatives of benzene... 

HNS (7.5) can be prepared by many methods these include the reaction of nitro derivatives of toluene with benzaldehyde, the reaction of nitro derivatives of benzyl halogenides with alkaline agents by removing hydrogen halogenide, and the oxidation of nitro derivatives of toluene. 

Titov used the following technique for the nitration. A mixture of hydrocarbon and aluminium chloride was saturated with nitrogen dioxide. An exothermic reaction took place, A1C13 being dissolved. The intensity of the reaction diminished after all the aluminium chloride had been dissolved. The saturation of the mixture with N02 was stopped at 95% of the theoretical amount. Then the unreacted nitrogen dioxide was expelled by passing C02. The liquid nitro compound phase was separated from the solid aluminium salt. The yield of the nitro derivatives of toluene and chlorobenzene was 88% and 96% of theoretical for toluene and chlorobenzene respectively. 

Nitro derivatives of benzene, when boiled with sodium hydroxide in methyl alcohol solution are reduced to azoxy compounds (pp. 31, 237, 251). Nitro derivatives of toluene under these conditions are oxidized to nitro derivatives of stilbene (pp. 70, 283, 302). 

This would explain a number of reactions of the methyl group in nitro derivatives of toluene, particularly in trinitrotoluene. For example, formaldehyde can... 

On boiling nitro derivatives of toluene with sodium hydroxide, their methyl group is readily oxidized, forming a methine group and nitro derivatives of stilbene. 

Of all nitro derivatives of toluene, trinitrotoluene is the most important as an explosive. It is by the most often used high explosive among those derived from aromatic compounds. It is popular because it is simple and relatively safe to manufacture, Mid has high explosive power, and above all because its high chemical stability and low sensitiveness to impact and friction make it safe to handle. In addition, its toxicity is low and thus it compares favourably in this respect with the nitro derivatives of benzene. 

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