NITROBENZENE
PRODUCT IDENTIFICATION
98-95-3
123.11
H.S. CODE
UN NO.
1662
CLASSIFICATION
EXTRA NOTES
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
AUTOIGNITION
NFPA RATINGS
REFRACTIVE INDEX
EXTERNAL LINKS & GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Local: Nitrobenzene (also called nitrobenzol ) is a colourless to pale yellow, oily, highly toxic liquid with the odour of bitter almonds. Nitrobenzene is manufactured commercially by nitration of benzene (also a common air pollutant) using a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids. Commercially nitrobenzene can be either produced in a batch or by a continuous process. Both batch and continuous processes employing mixed nitric and sulfuric acids are used to make nitrobenzene. The continuous process is favored over the batch process because its production capacity is much larger, it has lower capital costs and it entails more efficient labor usage. Reactors for the continuous process also usually utilized lower nitric acid concentrations, are smaller with more rapid and efficient mixing, and therefore have higher reaction rates. Nitrobenzene undergoes nitration, halogenation, and sulfonation much more slowly than does benzene. It may be reduced to a variety of compounds, depending on the reaction conditions. Most nitrobenzene produced is reduced to aniline; smaller amounts are converted to azobenzene, hydrazobenzene (the intermediate for benzidine), and phenylhydroxylamine. Reduction of both the nitro group and the benzene ring affords cyclohexylamine. Nitrobenzene is used as a mild oxidizing agent in the syntheses of quinoline and fuchsin. Nitrobenzene is used to produce lubricating oils such as those used in motors and machinery. Nitrobenzene and its derivatives are used in the manufacture of dyes, drugs, pesticides, polisher, paint, and synthetic rubber.
APPEARANCE
ASSAY (GC)
99.5% min
MOISTURE
0.2% max
DINITROBENZENE
0.3% max
UNNITRATED HYDROCARBONS
0.5% max
TRANSPORTATION