4-Nitrochlorobenzene is the

organic compound In chemistry, organic compounds are generally any chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen or carbon-carbon bonds. Due to carbon's ability to catenate (form chains with other carbon atoms), millions of organic compounds are known. The ...

with the formula ClC₆H₄NO₂. It is a pale yellow solid. 4-Nitrochlorobenzene is a common intermediate in the production of a number of industrially useful compounds, including common antioxidants found in rubber. Other

isomer In chemistry, isomers are molecules or polyatomic ions with identical molecular formulae – that is, same number of atoms of each element – but distinct arrangements of atoms in space. Isomerism is existence or possibility of isomers. Iso ...

s with the formula ClC₆H₄NO₂ include 2-nitrochlorobenzene and 3-nitrochlorobenzene.

Preparation

4-Nitrochlorobenzene is prepared industrially by nitration of

chlorobenzene Chlorobenzene is an aromatic organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5Cl. This colorless, flammable liquid is a common solvent and a widely used intermediate in the manufacture of other chemicals. Uses Historical The major use of chlorob ...

\mathrm

This reaction affords both the 2- and the 4-nitro derivatives, in about a 1:2 ratio. These isomers are separated by distillation. 4-Nitrochlorobenzene was originally prepared by the

nitration In organic chemistry, nitration is a general class of chemical processes for the introduction of a nitro group into an organic compound. The term also is applied incorrectly to the different process of forming nitrate esters between alcohols and ...

of 4-bromochlorobenzene by Holleman and coworkers.

Applications

4-Nitrochlorobenzene is an intermediate in the preparation of a variety of derivatives.

Nitration In organic chemistry, nitration is a general class of chemical processes for the introduction of a nitro group into an organic compound. The term also is applied incorrectly to the different process of forming nitrate esters between alcohols and ...

gives

2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene 2,4-Dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) is an organic compound with the chemical formula (O2N)2C6H3Cl. It is a yellow solid that is soluble in organic solvents. It is an important intermediate for the industrial production of other compounds. DNCB is p ...

, and 3,4-dichloronitrobenzene. Reduction with iron metal gives 4-chloroaniline. The electron-withdrawing nature of the appended nitro-group makes the benzene ring especially susceptible to

nucleophilic aromatic substitution A nucleophilic aromatic substitution is a substitution reaction in organic chemistry in which the nucleophile displaces a good leaving group, such as a halide, on an aromatic ring. Aromatic rings are usually nucleophilic, but some aromatic compou ...

, unlike related chlorobenzene. Thus, the strong

nucleophile In chemistry, a nucleophile is a chemical species that forms bonds by donating an electron pair. All molecules and ions with a free pair of electrons or at least one pi bond can act as nucleophiles. Because nucleophiles donate electrons, they are ...

s hydroxide,

methoxide In organic chemistry, methoxides are organic salts with a anion. They are the simplest alkoxides. Sodium methoxide and potassium methoxide have widespread use, though other metal-cation variants such as lithium methoxide, rubidium methoxide, ...

, and

amide In organic chemistry, an amide, also known as an organic amide or a carboxamide, is a compound with the general formula , where R, R', and R″ represent organic groups or hydrogen atoms. The amide group is called a peptide bond when it is ...

displace chloride to give respectively 4-nitrophenol, 4-nitroanisole, 4-nitroaniline. Another major use of 4-nitrochlorobenzene is its condensation with aniline to produce 4-nitrodiphenylamine. Reductive alkylation of the nitro group affords secondary aryl amines, which are useful antioxidants for rubber. Dapsone

Safety

The

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, ) is the United States federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injury and illness. NIOSH is part of the C ...

considers 4-nitrochlorobenzene as a potential occupational carcinogen that may be absorbed through the skin. The

Occupational Safety and Health Administration The Occupational Safety and Health Administration'' (OSHA ) is a large regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that originally had federal visitorial powers to inspect and examine workplaces. Congress established the agenc ...

set a permissible exposure limit of 1 mg/m³, while the

American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) is a professional association of industrial hygienists and practitioners of related professions, with headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of its goals is to advance worker pr ...

recommends an airborne exposure limit of 0.64 mg/m³, over a time-weighted average of eight hours.New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services - Hazardous Substance Fact Sheet
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nitrochlorobenzene, 4- Chloroarenes Nitrobenzenes Substances discovered in the 1910s