Vapour-phase nitration of benzene over superacid WO3/ZrO2 catalysts Original Research Article

Superacid WO3/ZrO2 catalysts have been found to show a high activity and stability in the reaction of gas-phase nitration of benzene with 70% HNO3. At 170 °C and under atmospheric pressure the yield of nitrobenzene is within 65–80% at 99% selectivity for mononitrobenzene. The space time yield of nitrobenzene increases with increasing flow rate of reagents and amounts to 0.64 g/(gcat h).