The nitration of pyrene adsorbed on silica particles by nitrogen dioxide

Conversion of NO2, HNO2 gas, their mixture and a mixed gas of HNO2 and HNO3 on silica particles was investigated under simulated atmospheric conditions. Both HNO2 and HNO3 were detected as the products from conversion of NO2 on silica particles. However, unlike HNO3, which increased with conversion time, HNO2 underwent an increase–decrease time course due to the increased HNO3 further transformed HNO2 into NO+ on silica particles. Considering the catalytic effect of HNO3 and HNO2 on the nitration of pyrene adsorbed on silica particles by NO2, another electrophilic nitration path, analogous to the one that we previously reported, with NONO2+ and NON2O4+ as electrophiles was suggested. The two paths together gave an appropriate explanation for the catalytic effect of HNO2, HNO3 and their mixed gas on the nitration of the adsorbed pyrene by NO2.