PREPARATION OF p-NITROETHYLBENZENE FROM o-NITROETHYLBENZENE

The preparation of p-nitroethylbenzene,an important raw material for synthesis of chloramphenicol,from o-nitroethylbenzene has been described.o-Nitroethylbenzene was reduced to o-aminothylbenzene by iron power in the presence of a little cata- lyst such as hydrochloric acid,ammonium chloride,calcium chloride,or sodium hydrogeh sulphate in a yield of about 90%.The o-aminoethylbenzene was then nitrated to give the p-nitro-o-aminoethylbenzene,m.p.61-63°,its sulphate,m.p.170, which was converted to p-nitroethlbenzene by diazotization and followed by treat- ment with ethyl alcohol.p-Nitroethylbenzene could also be prepared by combining the nitration and diazotization process in one step without the isolation of the nitra- ting product in a yield of about 60%.