Wiktionary
n. (context chemistry English) The reaction of something with nitric acid; especially such a reaction, in the presence of sulphuric acid, to introduce a nitro functional group into a compound.
Wikipedia
Nitration is a general class of chemical process for the introduction of a nitro group into an organic chemical compound. More loosely the term also is applied incorrectly to the different process of forming nitrate esters between alcohols and nitric acid, as occurs in the synthesis of nitroglycerin. The difference between the resulting structure of nitro compounds and nitrates is that the nitrogen atom in nitro compounds is directly bonded to a non-oxygen atom, typically carbon or another nitrogen atom, whereas in nitrate esters, also called organic nitrates, the nitrogen is bonded to an oxygen atom that in turn usually is bonded to a carbon atom.
There are many major industrial applications of nitration in the strict sense; the most important by volume are for the production of Nitroaromatic compounds such as nitrobenzene. 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. However, they are of wide importance as chemical intermediates and precursors. Millions of tons of nitroaromatics are produced annually.
Usage examples of "nitration".
This is a dangerous point, since the nitration will take place as soon as the glycerin is added.
The nitration will produce heat, so the solution must be kept below 30 degrees C.
For about the first ten minutes of the nitration, the mixture should be gently stirred.
After the nitration has taken place and the nitroglycerin has formed at the top of the solution, the entire beaker should be transferred very slowly and carefully to another beaker of water.
The usual test to see if nitration has been successful is to place one drop of the nitroglycerin on a metal plate and ignite it.