DNCB is produced commercially by the
nitration of
p-nitrochlorobenzene with a mixture of
nitric and
sulfuric acids. Other methods afford the compound less efficiently include the
chlorination of
1,3-dinitrobenzene, nitration of
o-nitrochlorobenzene and the dinitration of
chlorobenzene. By virtue of the two
nitro substituents, the chloride in DNCB is particularly susceptible to
nucleophilic substitution, at least relative to simple
chlorobenzene. In this way, the compound is a precursor to many other compounds. For example, the chloride can be replaced by iodide easily. Reaction of DNCB with ammonia gives
2,4-dinitrochloroaniline, again a versatile precursor. == Safety ==