Effect of Industrial Detonation Nanodiamonds on the Ratio of Mononitrotoluene Isomers in Nitration of Toluene with a Sulfuric-Nitric Acid Mixture

A qualitative and quantitative influence exerted by addition of detonation nanodiamonds on the formation selectivity of mononitrotoluene isomers in the heterophase nitration of toluene with a sulfuric-nitric acid mixture having low nitration activity was found. It is shown that the isomer ratio of the ortho-/paramononitrotoluenes can be varied within the range 1.00–2.7 at a temperature of 50°C by changing the stirring intensity within the range 300–5000 rpm. It was found that the strongest influence on the ortho-/para-ratio of the mononitrotoluene isomers is exerted by nanodiamonds having surface chemically modified via oxidation with a mixture of concentrated nitric and sulfuric acids.