It was found that the compound trinitrotoluene could easily be split into its elements and toluene would result.
Nitration reactions are notably used for the production of explosives, for example the conversion of guanidine to nitroguanidine and the conversion of toluene to trinitrotoluene.
Blood and liver effects, spleen enlargement and other harmful effects on the immune system have also been found in animals that ingested or breathed trinitrotoluene.
For example, 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene is oxidized to the corresponding carboxylic acid.
Examples of materials with negative oxygen balance are e.g. trinitrotoluene (-74%), aluminium powder (-89%), sulfur (-100%), or carbon (-266.7%).
Drugs associated with sulfhemoglobinemia include acetanilid, phenacetin, nitrates, trinitrotoluene and sulfur compounds (mainly sulphonamides, sulfasalazine).
Mixtures of ordinary nitric acid in sulfuric acid therefore contain substantial amounts of water and are unsuitable for processes such as occur in the manufacture of trinitrotoluene.
