| abstract |
A process for preparing dinitrobenzophenones which comprises reacting benzene with ethylene in the presence of an alkylation catalyst to obtain an alkylation product containing unreacted benzene, ethylbenzene, polyethylbenzenes, 1,1-diphenylethane and heavier products, separating benzene, ethylbenzene and polyethylbenzenes from said alkylation product, recovering from the remainder of said alkylation product a fraction whose boiling points fall within the temperature range of about 260° to about 290°C., reacting said fraction with nitric acid at a temperature within the range of about 130° to about 210°C., wherein the molar ratio of nitric acid to said fraction is in the range of about 3:1 to about 8:1, and thereafter the total resulting reaction product with nitric acid in oleum to obtain a nitration product predominating in dinitrobenzophenones. |