Patent ID: 8642781

Claim:
A process for the preparation of a nitrated product that is represented by the structure of the following Formula I: wherein the two Xs are not equal, and each X is independently a C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl group, a halogenated C 1 to C 20 hydrocarbyl group, a carboxylic acid group, or a nitrile group; comprising (a) contacting in a reaction mixture a substrate compound that is represented by the structure of the following Formula II: with polyphosphoric acid in the presence of a catalytic material selected from (i) a large pore, acidic zeolite having a molar ratio of Si/AI of greater than or equal to about 5, or (ii) a large pore, hydrophobic molecular sieve having a silicon content great than about 35 wt %; wherein the ratio of the weight of the catalytic material to the weight of the substrate compound is in the range of about 1/99 to about 25/75; and wherein X in Formula II is as set forth above for Formula I; and (b) adding nitric acid to the reaction mixture to provide therein (i) a molar ratio of nitric acid to substrate compound (on a 100% nitric acid basis) in the range of about 1/1 to about 1/1.5, and (ii) a weight ratio of nitric acid to polyphosphoric acid in the range of about 15/85 to about 40/60, to form a nitrated product of formula I.