Nitrotoluenes

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The nitrotoluenes form a group of substances in chemistry and are aromatic compounds with a methyl group  (–CH 3 ) and a nitro group  (–NO 2 ) as substituents on the benzene ring . The different arrangement of the substituents ( ortho , meta or para ) results in three constitutional isomers with the empirical formula C 7 H 7 NO 2 . The mixture of substances is formed during the nitration of toluene , with 2- and 4-nitrotoluene being the main products. Nitrotoluenes occur as intermediate products in TNT production and can therefore often be detected as old armaments in the soil and groundwater.

Representative

Nitrotoluenes
Surname 2-nitrotoluene 3-nitrotoluene 4-nitrotoluene
other names o -nitrotoluene,
2-nitro-1-methylbenzene,
ONT, 2-NT
m -nitrotoluene,
3-nitro-1-methylbenzene
 
p -Nitrotoluene,
4-nitro-1-methylbenzene
 
Structural formula Structure of O-nitrotoluene Structure of M-nitrotoluene Structure of P-nitrotoluene
CAS number 88-72-2 99-08-1 99-99-0
PubChem 6944 7422 7473
Molecular formula C 7 H 7 NO 2
Molar mass 137.14 g mol −1
Physical state liquid firmly
Brief description yellow oily liquid
with an aromatic odor
yellow liquid
with a characteristic odor
yellowish crystals
 
Melting point −4 ° C 16 ° C 52 ° C
boiling point 222 ° C 232 ° C 238 ° C
solubility practically insoluble in water,
soluble in acetone, benzene, ethanol, ether and chloroform
GHS
labeling
08 - Dangerous to health 07 - Warning 09 - Dangerous for the environment
danger
06 - Toxic or very toxic 08 - Dangerous to health 09 - Dangerous for the environment
danger
06 - Toxic or very toxic 08 - Dangerous to health 09 - Dangerous for the environment
danger
H and P phrases 302-340-350-361f-411 302-311-332-373-411 301 + 311 + 331-373-411
no EUH phrases no EUH phrases no EUH phrases
201-273-281-308 + 313 280-273-309 + 310
302 + 352
261-273-280-301 + 310-311
MAK value Switzerland: 2 ml m −3 or 11 mg m −3

presentation

In the electrophilic aromatic substitution of toluene with nitric acid , the + I effect of the methyl group is decisive for the position of the second substituent. The main products are 2-nitrotoluene ( ortho ) with 65% and 4-nitrotoluene ( para ) with 30%, 3-nitrotoluene ( meta ), however, only 5%.

Nitration of toluene to nitrotoluene

The 3-nitrotoluene can be obtained from 3-nitro-4-aminotoluene by diazotizing the amino group and reductively reacting the diazonium salt with ethanol ( dediazonation ).

properties

The boiling points of the three isomers are close to one another, while the melting points differ significantly. The 4-nitrotoluene, which has the highest symmetry, has the highest melting point.

use

The nitrotoluenes are intermediate products in the production of toluidines , in the organic synthesis of pesticides , pharmaceuticals, dyes and plastics .

2- and 4-nitrotoluene are intermediate products in TNT production; they are first nitrated further to 2,4-dinitrotoluene . 2- and 4-nitrotoluene are also added to plastic explosives as a marker.

In general, the nitrobenzoic acids are accessible from the nitrotoluenes by oxidation of the methyl group . So z. B. 4-nitrotoluene oxidized by sodium dichromate in the presence of concentrated sulfuric acid to 4-nitrobenzoic acid.

Preparation of 4-nitrobenzoic acid

safety instructions

The nitrotoluenes can form explosive vapors, attack rubber and plastics and are carcinogenic.

Web links

Commons : Nitrotoluene  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Individual evidence

  1. a b c d Entry on 2-nitrotoluene in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on June 21, 2018(JavaScript required) .
  2. a b c d Entry on 3-nitrotoluene in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on June 21, 2018(JavaScript required) .
  3. a b c d Entry on 4-nitrotoluene in the GESTIS substance database of the IFA , accessed on June 21, 2018(JavaScript required) .
  4. Swiss Accident Insurance Fund (Suva): Limit values ​​- current MAK and BAT values (search for nitrotoluene (3- and 4-isomer) ), accessed on March 4, 2020.
  5. Beyer / Walter : Textbook of Organic Chemistry ; 19th edition; S. Hirzel Verlag; Stuttgart 1981; ISBN 3-7776-0356-2 ; P. 456.
  6. HT Clarke, ER Taylor: m-Nitrotoluene In: Organic Syntheses . 3, 1923, p. 91, doi : 10.15227 / orgsyn.003.0091 ; Coll. Vol. 1, 1941, p. 415 ( PDF ).
  7. Jehuda Yinon: Forensic and Environmental Detection of Explosives . John Wiley & Sons, 1999, ISBN 978-0-471-98371-2 , pp. 167 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  8. ^ O. Kamm, AO Matthews: p-Nitrobenzoic acid In: Organic Syntheses . 2, 1922, p. 53, doi : 10.15227 / orgsyn.002.0053 ; Coll. Vol. 1, 1941, p. 392 ( PDF ).