Two-phase nitration of toluene. Part II

Abstract

The rate of the two-phase nitration of toluene has been determined in a stirred batch reactor over the range 62–78% sulphuric acid using an initial nitric acid concentration of 0.56 mol l −1 and a molar ratio of nitric acid to toluene of 1.06:1. At the lower concentrations of sulphuric acid the transition from kinetic to mass transfer control is observed, and at the higher concentrations, the transition from slow to fast reaction. In the slow reaction diffusional regime at 25°C and 2500 rev/min, the product of the interfacial area per unit volume of the acid phase, a′, and the over-all mass transfer coefficient k has the value 0.069 sec −1. It is found that a′k increases slowly but steadily with temperature and varies approximately as the square of the stirring speed.