Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a process for preparing toluene diamine. The improvement resides in a process which is capable of permitting reduction of dinitrotoluene to toluene diamine without prior alkaline treatment for removal of nitrocresols in the dinitrotoluene. In carrying out the improvement the feed dinitrotoluene is water washed to remove HNO.sub.3 to a level below 6000 ppm, and the catalytic conversion of dinitrotoluene to toluene diamine is done continuously. Dinitrotoluene is charged to a reaction vessel containing a liquid carrier and reduced with hydrogen at constant pressure, the dinitrotoluene being added at a rate to maintain a concentration of dinitrotoluene of 0.0001 to 25% by weight of the total reactor contents while the hydrogenation catalyst is maintained at a level from about 0.1 to 3% based on the weight of reactor contents.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in an process for dinitrating 3-nitrobenzotrifluoride and 4-hal0-3-nitrobenzotrifluoride compounds wherein the mononitrobenzotrifluoride composition is contacted with a mixture comprising sulfuric and nitric acid. The improvement constituting the basis of this invention comprises carrying out the dinitration with the sulfuric acid being present in at least a catalytic proportion but not exceeding about 65 mole percent in said mixture.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in a process for nitrating an aromatic or substituted aromatic compound e.g., toluene or ortho-xylene, by reacting such aromatic or substituted aromatic in the presence of nitric acid. The improvement for enhancing the rate of nitration as well as the selectivity of nitration at the para-position in this process comprises carrying out the nitration reaction in the presence of at least an effective amount of anhydrous calcium sulfate or soluble anhydrite.