Highly selective preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene from catalytic nitration of 1‐nitronaphthalene with NO2 over HY zeolite

Abstract In this work, a simple method for the highly selective preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene from 1‐nitronaphthalene employing NO 2 as a nitrating agent has been developed. The results demonstrated that HY zeolite as an eco‐friendly and stable catalyst exhibits good catalytic performances. The total selectivity to valuable dinitronaphthalene compounds including 1,5‐, 1,4‐, and 1,3‐dinitronaphthalene can reach 87.6 % in our present nitration reaction. Meanwhile, the physico‐chemical properties of catalysts were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TG/DTG, BET, and NH 3 ‐TPD, and the probable nitration reaction mechanism was also suggested in this paper. The present nitration process seems to be a mild, eco‐friendly, and economical route for the preparation of valuable dinitronaphthalene compounds.