Rate of nitration of benzene with mixed acid

Abstract The rates of nitration of benzene by nitric acid in mixed acid to produce mononitrobenzene have been measured in well‐emulsified reaction mixtures in the temperature range from 34° to 54°C. The acid‐phase compositions ranged from 1.6 mole % nitric acid and 27 mole % sulfuric acid to 35 mole % nitric acid and zero % sulfuric acid; the organicphase composition ranged from 4 to 95 mole % benzene, and the relative extent of the acid and organic phases was varied from 25 to 80 volume % acid phase. The reaction rate based on the total volume of the reacting mixture is shown to be a function of the phase compositions, temperature, and volume % of acid phase.