Optimizing Nitrobenzene Synthesis Catalyzed by Sulfated Silica (SO4/SiO2) through Response Surface Methodological Approach

Today, the principles of green chemistry are being fundamentally applied in the chemical industry, such as the nitrobenzene industry, which is an essential intermediate for various commercial products. Research on the application of response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize nitrobenzene synthesis was conducted using a sulfated silica (SO4/SiO2) catalyst and batch microwave reactor. The nitrobenzene synthesis process was carried out according to RSM using a central composite design (CCD) design for three independent variables, consisting of sulfuric acid concentration on the silica (), stirring time (min), and reaction temperature (°C), and the response variable of nitrobenzene yield (). The results showed that a three-factorial design using the response surface method could determine the optimum conditions for obtaining nitrobenzene products in a batch microwave reactor. The optimum condition for a nitrobenzene yield of 63.38 can be obtained at a sulfuric acid concentration on the silica of 91.20 , stirring time of 140.45 min, and reaction temperature of 58.14 °C. From the 20 experiments conducted, the SO4/SiO2 catalyst showed a selectivity of 100 , which means that this solid acid catalyst can potentially work well in converting benzene to nitrobenzene. © Materials Research Society of Korea, All rights reserved.