Scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate catalyzed aromatic nitration with inorganic nitrates and acetic anhydride.

The rare earth metal(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate (rare earth metal(III) triflate, RE(OTf)3) was found to be an efficient catalyst for aromatic nitration with carboxylic anhydride-inorganic nitrate as the nitrating agent. In the presence of a catalytic amount of RE(OTf)3, the nitration of substituted benzenes proceeded to afford the corresponding nitrobenzenes. Especially, scandium(III) trifluoromethanesulfonate (scandium(III) triflate, Sc(OTf)3) is the most active catalyst among our tested Lewis acids. It was also found that acetic anhydride-Al(NO3).9H2O is the most active nitrating agent in this system.