Vapor-Phase Nitration of Benzene Over Polyorganosiloxanes Bearing Sulfo Groups

Polyorganosiloxanes with sulfo groups have the high catalytic activity for vapor-phase nitration of benzene. The polysiloxane with sulfophenyl groups showed the highest activity. The reaction rate depended greatly on the partial pressures of both benzene and nitrogen dioxide. The nitrobenzene yield of 80% was obtained at 443 K under the partial pressures of benzene and nitrogen dioxide of 20 and 40 kPa, respectively.