204 CHEMISTRY AND TECHNOLOGY OF EXPLOSIVES
The reaction of the formation of product II is fast. while that of product III
is slow:
TNA + OC 2 H 5 - <-> IIII-> IIIslowOn treating both products, (II) and (III),with acetic acid the authors were able
to regenerate the original nitro compound:
(22)The products of type III obtained from various other nitro compounds, are
discussed further under the heading of the individual nitro compounds (see also
Farmer [44]).
Oxidation of nitro compounds to nitrophenols is another example of a nucleo-philic reaction. Thus, m- dinitrobenzene and sym- trinitrobenzene were oxidized
in an alkaline medium when boiled with potassium ferricyanide solution
(Hepp[45]) :
This reaction does not occur with nitrobenzene.
(23)(24)