Nitration of toluene in a microreactor

Raghunath Halder, Woo Lee, Adeniyi Lawal, Reddy Damavarapu

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

Highly exothermic reactions such as aromatic nitration can be carried out in a highly efficient manner in microreactors due to the high heat and mass transfer rates. In this study, nitration of toluene was conducted in a microreactor immersed in a constant temperature bath using concentrated nitric acid as the nitrating agent. The effects of residence time, reaction temperature, and acid strength etc. on the reactor performance were studied. The results indicate that in the microreactor the nitration reaction proceeds fast, even without sulfuric acid, probably by self-protonation of nitric acid. Also, no by-products were detected. The isomeric distribution of the product nitrotoluenes was found to be identical to that generally found in the mixed-acid nitration. The results were compared with the data obtained from a batch reactor, and the microreactor reaction rates were much higher than the batch reactor rates.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting
StatePublished - 2006
Event2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting - Orlando, FL, United States
Duration: 23 Apr 200627 Apr 2006

Publication series

NameAIChE Annual Meeting, Conference Proceedings

Conference

Conference2006 AIChE Spring National Meeting
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityOrlando, FL
Period23/04/0627/04/06

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