The formation of aryloxenium ion in the reaction of N-nitro-O-(4-nitrophenyl)hydroxylamine with strong acids

The reaction of N-nitro-O-(4-nitrophenyl)hydroxylamine (1) with conc. H₂SO₄ affords 4-nitropyrocatechol and that with conc. sulfonic acids (RSO₃H where R = Me, CF₃) affords 2-hydroxy-5-nitrophenyl-R-sulfonates in yields of 80?C85%. These reactions are assumed to proceed through an intermediate (phenoxy)oxodiazonium ion NO₂C₆H₄O-N=N=O]⁺, which eliminates the N₂O molecule to form the aryloxenium ion NO₂C₆H₄O]⁺. The latter reacts with acid anions at the ortho-carbon atom of the phenyl ring. The thermodynamical parameters of the elementary reactions resulting in the formation of the (phenoxy)oxodiazonium ion NO₂C₆H₄O-N=N=O]⁺ and aryloxenium ion NO₂C₆H₄O]⁺ were calculated in the B3LYP/6?311+G(d) study of the combined molecular system (nitrohydroxylamine 1 + H₃SO₄]⁺). The reaction of nitrohydroxylamine 1 with aqueous solutions of strong acids (??70% H₂SO₄, CF₃SO₃H) affords mainly 4-nitrophenol. It appears that the mechanism of this reaction does not involve the formation of the aryloxenium ion.