Formation of Meisenheimer–Jackson complexes in a non-polar solvent

Abstract

In the presence of dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 ether in benzene solution, trinitrobenzene forms Meisenheimer–Jackson complexes with a number of anions, some of which do not react in aqueous solution. Such complexes are also formed with dinitrobenzene under these conditions, and there is some evidence that nitrobenzene reacts in a similar way.