Scalable, easy synthesis, and efficient isolation of arylnitromethanes: a revival of the Victor Meyer reaction

Abstract A modified approach to synthesize and isolate arylnitromethanes is described. The method takes advantage of the significant difference in acidity between the arylnitromethane and the major impurity of the reaction, the nitrite ester. The arylnitromethanes resulting from this process are obtained in high yields and are analytically pure, i.e., they do not require distillation or further purification, which is a comfortable improvement of the ancestral Victor Meyer reaction.