MILD AND EFFICIENT NITRATION OF AROMATIC COMPOUNDS MEDIATED BY TRANSITION-METAL COMPLEXES

Aromatic compounds were efficiently nitrated under facile reaction conditions by employing 69% nitric acid catalyzed by transition-metal complexes such as [Co(NH3)(5)Cl]Cl-2, [Cu(NH3)(4)]SO4, Mn(acac)(3), [Ni(NH3)(6)]Cl-2, [Ni(en)(3)]S2O3, and Hg[Co(SCN)(4)]. The reaction was completed smoothly at room temperature and afforded corresponding mono-nitro derivatives in quantitative yield. This new method offers efficient and facile regioselective mononitration of aromatic compounds.