Nitro Benzene
Nitro Benzene is the primary feedstock for aniline, the single largest downstream outlet for this molecule and the gateway to MDI/polyurethane chemistry, rubber accelerators and a wide swathe of dye and pigment intermediates. A smaller volume goes directly into cellulose-ester solvent blends and industrial polish formulations.
Chelora Chemicals supplies nitrobenzene to aniline producers, solvent formulators and fine chemical manufacturers worldwide, in drums, IBCs and bulk tanker quantities, with a batch COA and GHS safety data sheet on every consignment.
Product identity
- CAS Number
- 98-95-3
- IUPAC name
- Nitrobenzene
- Molecular formula
- C6H5NO2
- Molecular weight
- 123.11 g/mol
- EC / EINECS
- 202-716-0
- MDL number
- MFCD00009774
- SMILES
- [O-][N+](=O)c1ccccc1
- HS Code
- 2904 20*
* Confirm the exact HS heading with your customs broker — classification of nitro-aromatics varies between destination tariffs.
What Nitro Benzene is used for
Nitrobenzene is made by nitrating benzene, and the overwhelming majority of the world's production exists for one reason: catalytic hydrogenation to aniline. Aniline in turn feeds MDI and polyurethane foam production, rubber-chemical antioxidants and accelerators, herbicide intermediates and dye chemistry. Very little nitrobenzene is ever consumed for anything other than this single reduction step.
The smaller share that does not go to aniline is used as a high-boiling, powerful solvent for cellulose ethers and esters — a role that made it historically important in the manufacture of shoe and metal polishes and in certain paint-stripping formulations, and as a chemical intermediate in its own right for specific dye, pigment and pharmaceutical syntheses that need a nitro-aromatic building block rather than an amine.
Why it is treated as a single-outlet commodity
Unlike a specialty intermediate with several distinct end markets, nitrobenzene pricing and availability track the aniline and MDI/polyurethane cycle almost directly:
- Captive consumption dominates. Most nitrobenzene is hydrogenated to aniline on the same integrated site that made it, and only the balance is sold as merchant material.
- Aniline demand sets the tone. Because aniline's own largest outlet is MDI for rigid and flexible polyurethane foam, construction and automotive demand cycles show up in the nitrobenzene market with a lag.
- Solvent-grade and dye-grade buyers are a small, specification-sensitive minority within a much larger commodity-chemical market, and usually need to state their requirement explicitly to be quoted correctly.
If your requirement is for aniline itself rather than the nitro precursor, tell us — we also supply aniline and related aromatic amines; see our full product range.
Appearance and handling character
Nitrobenzene is a pale yellow, oily liquid at room temperature, freezing at just under 6 °C — meaning it can solidify in an unheated line or drum during a cold winter transit and needs gentle warming to re-liquefy rather than forcing. It has a characteristic bitter-almond odour, is only slightly soluble in water, and is miscible with most organic solvents. It is combustible and, unusually for a liquid this dense, sinks and spreads along the bottom of a body of water rather than floating.
| Parameter | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Pale yellow oily liquid |
| Assay (GC) | 99.5% min |
| Moisture (KF) | 0.1% max |
| Freezing point | ≥ 5.0 °C |
| Colour (APHA) | Reported per batch |
| Acidity (as H2SO4) | 0.005% max |
Important: the figures above are indicative of commercial grade material and are offered for planning only. The batch certificate of analysis is the governing document. Aniline producers running continuous hydrogenation should send their own acidity and moisture limits, since both affect catalyst life directly.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Physical state | Oily liquid at ambient |
| Melting / freezing point | ≈ 5.7 °C |
| Boiling point | ≈ 211 °C @ 760 mmHg |
| Flash point (closed cup) | ≈ 88 °C |
| Relative density | ≈ 1.20 |
| Partition coeff. (log P) | ≈ 1.85 |
| Water solubility | Slightly soluble (≈ 1.9 g/L) |
| Organic solubility | Miscible with alcohols, ethers, benzene & most organic solvents |
| Odour | Characteristic bitter almond |
Physical constants compiled from public reference data for CAS 98-95-3 and rounded for readability. Treat them as orientation, not as a specification.
Where our customers put this molecule to work
Nitrobenzene's demand profile is unusually concentrated: one reduction step accounts for most of the volume, with solvent and fine-chemical use making up the remainder.
Aniline production
Catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene is the standard industrial route to aniline worldwide. This is, by a wide margin, the largest single outlet for the molecule.
- Continuous vapour- or liquid-phase hydrogenation
- Acidity and moisture affect catalyst life directly
- We also supply aniline itself
MDI & polyurethane chain
Aniline made from nitrobenzene is condensed with formaldehyde and phosgenated to MDI, the isocyanate behind rigid and flexible polyurethane foam. Construction and automotive demand cycles show up here with a lag.
- Aniline → MDA → MDI route
- Rigid and flexible foam applications
- Volume tracks construction and appliance demand
Rubber & agrochemical amines
Beyond MDI, aniline from this route also feeds rubber-chemical accelerators and antioxidants and a range of agrochemical intermediates, giving nitrobenzene demand a broader base than MDI alone.
- Rubber accelerator and antioxidant chemistry
- Herbicide and pesticide intermediate routes
- Volume more stable than the construction cycle alone
High-boiling solvent
A small merchant volume is sold as a powerful, high-boiling solvent for cellulose ethers and esters — a role behind certain metal and shoe polish formulations and some industrial coating systems.
- Solvent-grade specification on request
- Cellulose ester and ether solubility
- Handling controls apply as for any grade
Fine chemical & dye synthesis
A well-behaved nitro-aromatic building block for custom syntheses where the nitro group itself — rather than the reduced amine — is the functionality required, including certain dye and pigment intermediate routes.
- Nitro group retained for specific chemistries
- Custom fine-chemical synthesis
- Available in trial and laboratory quantities
Bulk & contract supply
Aniline plants run continuous processes and consume nitrobenzene at steady rates. We supply drummed, IBC and bulk-tanker quantities against annual contracts with scheduled call-off.
- Bulk tanker delivery for continuous consumers
- Annual contracts with scheduled call-off
- Second source held in reserve
How we supply Nitro Benzene
Chelora Chemicals is a supplier and sourcing partner, not a manufacturer. We own no nitration plant — and on a large-volume commodity intermediate like this one, that independence gives you optionality a captive supply relationship cannot. We are never obliged to push you whatever a single unit happens to be running that month.
Instead we place your order with whichever qualified producer best matches your assay, your acidity and moisture limits, your price point and your delivery window — including bulk-tanker logistics for continuous consumers.
We keep a second qualified source on this line. When a plant goes down for maintenance, or a feedstock disruption hits benzene or nitric acid supply, your continuous process switches source rather than stalling.
- Grade confirmed against your process first. We confirm whether you need reduction-grade or solvent-grade material before we quote a price.
- Batch COA shared before dispatch. You approve the assay, acidity and moisture profile against your own spec while the material is still in our warehouse.
- Hazard status stated up front. This material carries a suspected carcinogenicity classification, and we say so at enquiry stage — not in the small print of a document pack that arrives with the goods.
- Pre-shipment samples for qualification. New account or new source, your process team runs a lab or pilot batch before the full quantity ever moves.
- Cold-transit planning. With a freezing point just under 6 °C, we plan tank and drum insulation or trace heating for winter routings so material arrives liquid and easy to handle.
- Export machinery handled in-house. Hazard classification, UN-approved packing, labelling, freight booking and customs paperwork are ours to manage.
- Consolidation onto one bill of lading. Ship nitrobenzene alongside other intermediates from our range — one invoice, one shipment, one counterparty.
Packed the way your plant receives it
As a liquid consumed at real scale by continuous processes, nitrobenzene is one of the few products on our range regularly moved in bulk. Tell us how it will be charged at your end and we will quote the format that suits your operation.
UN-certified steel drums
Lined or unlined steel drums for LCL movements and for plants charging batch-wise. The standard format for smaller and trial quantities.
IBC totes
Composite or steel IBCs for mid-volume users with mechanical or pump-fed charging. Fewer handling movements and lower packing cost per litre than drums.
Bulk liquid tanks
ISO tank containers or dedicated road tankers for continuous aniline-plant consumers. By far the lowest landed cost per tonne at real volume.
Samples & trial packs
Laboratory samples and pilot quantities dispatched by courier so your process team can qualify the grade before committing to bulk supply.
Incoterms to suit you
Quoted on the Incoterm your purchasing team works to. Ocean, road and dedicated tank freight arranged end-to-end with documentation filed before booking.
Continuous-consumption contracts
Aniline plants run continuously. We contract annual volume and release it against a fixed offtake schedule rather than negotiating each shipment individually.
Handle this as an acutely toxic, combustible liquid
This is the point on the page that matters most. Nitrobenzene is acutely toxic by all three routes, is a recognised methaemoglobin former, and carries a suspected carcinogenicity classification in major regulatory regimes. It is also combustible with a flash point around 88 °C. The summary below is orientation only — the safety data sheet supplied with your consignment is the authoritative document and should govern your risk assessment, PPE selection, exposure monitoring and emergency planning.
Classified hazards
H301Toxic if swallowed.H311Toxic in contact with skin.H331Toxic if inhaled.H351Suspected of causing cancer.H372Causes damage to organs (blood) through prolonged or repeated exposure.H411Toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects.
Hazard statements reflect the harmonised GHS classification commonly published for CAS 98-95-3. Supplier classifications may differ in detail; always read the SDS issued with your specific batch, and treat the methaemoglobinaemia risk as the one that shapes your medical response planning.
Spill & emergency orientation
Plan your response before the drum or tanker arrives, not after a fitting leaks. The points below are orientation for your emergency planners — sections 4, 5 and 6 of the SDS are the authoritative instructions and should be posted at the point of use.
- Contain, do not hose to drain. The material is toxic to aquatic life and denser than water, so it sinks and spreads underwater — bund and recover mechanically rather than diluting.
- Eliminate ignition sources. Flash point around 88 °C means it is combustible; keep flames, sparks and hot surfaces well clear of any spill.
- Assume skin absorption. Contaminated clothing is a continuing exposure route — remove it immediately and wash the skin thoroughly.
- Have the SDS with the casualty. Nitrobenzene is a well-documented methaemoglobin former, and the treating clinician needs the product identity and CAS number in hand.
- Record the exposure. For a suspected carcinogen, most occupational regimes expect an exposure record to be created and retained. That is a decision for your EHS function, and it is easier made before an incident than after one.
Storage
- Cool, dry, well-ventilated store, away from direct sunlight, heat and ignition sources. The freezing point is just under 6 °C, so an unheated tank or drum can partly solidify in a cold winter.
- Keep containers tightly closed. Air and moisture ingress affect downstream hydrogenation and can shift acidity over time.
- Segregate from oxidising agents, strong acids and reducing metals. Nitrobenzene can react vigorously with strong reducing agents and certain metal powders.
- Access-controlled, bunded storage. For a suspected carcinogen with acute toxicity, restricting who can reach the store is part of the control, not an administrative nicety.
- Shelf life is typically 24 months in sealed original packing under these conditions. Re-assay before use after long storage.
Handling & PPE
- Design exposure out, do not manage it down. Closed transfer, pump-fed charging and vapour-return loading first, ventilation second, PPE last.
- Skin protection is the priority. Nitrobenzene is absorbed rapidly through intact skin and is a recognised cause of methaemoglobinaemia — chemical-resistant gloves and coveralls, not just splash protection.
- Respiratory protection where vapour concentrations may build, particularly during tank gauging or sampling, per your own exposure assessment.
- Health surveillance and exposure records. Where a suspected-carcinogen classification triggers obligations at your site, your occupational health provider and EHS function own the detail. We flag the classification; the programme is yours to run.
- Never discharge to drain or watercourse. H411 applies — collect spills for regulated disposal rather than allowing runoff.
Transport
Nitrobenzene moves as regulated cargo. We classify each consignment, apply UN-approved packaging and labelling, and file the dangerous-goods declaration before the booking is made. The applicable UN number, class and packing group are stated on your shipping documents and SDS — ask us for the current DG paperwork when you plan the shipment.
What travels with every consignment
A chemical shipment is only as good as the file that travels with it. Verifying what the source plant sends is precisely the work you are buying from a supplier.
Certificate of Analysis
Batch-specific assay by GC, moisture by Karl Fischer, acidity, colour and appearance — checked against your purchase specification before we release the goods.
GHS Safety Data Sheet
Full 16-section SDS in GHS format covering hazards, exposure controls, handling, storage, spill response, toxicology and disposal — issued in the language your destination requires.
Dangerous Goods Declaration
UN number, hazard class, packing group and IMDG or IATA declaration prepared and filed before the shipment is booked, with correctly marked and labelled packaging or tank.
Certificate of Origin
Chamber-attested where required, plus preferential-origin forms where a trade agreement gives your import duty relief at the destination.
Third-party inspection
SGS, Intertek or Bureau Veritas sampling and inspection arranged on request before loading, giving you independent verification of what actually ships — including tank cleanliness certification for bulk shipments.
Retained & pre-shipment samples
Pre-shipment samples carry the same COA as the commercial lot, so what your laboratory qualifies is exactly what arrives. Retention samples held against the batch.
From benzene to nitrobenzene to aniline
Nitrobenzene sits at the midpoint of a short, high-volume chain: benzene in, aniline out. Understanding that chain explains why the specification matters and which impurity will hurt you at the hydrogenation step. The route below is the general industrial pattern, not a process disclosure.
Start with benzene
Mixed nitric/sulphuric acid nitrates benzene under controlled temperature to give crude nitrobenzene, avoiding over-nitration to dinitrobenzene.
Wash and purify
The crude product is washed free of residual acid, dried and distilled to the assay and acidity limits the downstream hydrogenation plant needs.
Catalytic hydrogenation
Nitrobenzene is reduced with hydrogen over a catalyst to give aniline and water — the single step that consumes most of the world's nitrobenzene output.
On to MDI and beyond
Aniline is condensed with formaldehyde and phosgenated to MDI, or converted to rubber-chemical and agrochemical amines through separate routes.
Why acidity and moisture matter more than colour
Because almost every buyer of this molecule feeds it straight into a hydrogenation reactor, the specification that matters most is not cosmetic — it is whatever protects the catalyst and the reaction:
- Residual acidity from an incomplete wash step degrades hydrogenation catalyst over time and is one of the first things a reduction plant will specify tightly.
- Moisture content affects reaction stoichiometry and can promote side reactions in the hydrogenation step.
- Dinitrobenzene and other over-nitrated impurities are difficult to reduce cleanly and can show up as colour or off-spec material in the finished aniline.
- Colour (APHA) matters mainly to solvent-grade and fine-chemical buyers rather than to aniline producers, who care primarily about the parameters above.
That is the reason we quote against your written specification rather than a generic "technical grade" figure, and the reason the batch COA is shared for approval before dispatch rather than sent with the invoice.
| Downstream product | Principal outlet |
|---|---|
| Aniline | MDI / polyurethane Rubber chemicals Dyes & agrochemicals |
| MDI | Rigid & flexible foam Construction & automotive |
| Direct nitrobenzene use | Solvent for cellulose esters/ethers Fine-chemical & dye synthesis |
If your requirement is actually for aniline, or for a related aromatic amine further down this chain, tell us the CAS number or the finished molecule you need and we will source accordingly — see our full product range.
What actually moves the price of this intermediate
Nitrobenzene trades closer to a commodity chemical than most of our range, but it is still not a screen price. Knowing what drives the quote helps you time a purchase and read whether an offer is realistic.
The MDI / construction cycle
Because aniline's largest outlet is MDI for polyurethane foam, nitrobenzene demand ultimately tracks global construction and appliance manufacturing activity, with a lag of roughly a quarter through the aniline and MDI conversion steps.
- Quote early ahead of seasonal construction upswings
- Spot buying at peak costs materially more
- Contracted call-off smooths the exposure
Upstream feedstock
The route back to nitrobenzene runs through benzene and mixed nitric/sulphuric acid. Benzene pricing in particular — itself tied to the naphtha and reformate market — feeds through within weeks rather than months.
- Benzene sets the floor more directly than for most of our range
- Nitric acid availability is a secondary factor
- We flag feedstock-driven moves in the quote
Captive vs merchant capacity
Most global nitrobenzene capacity is captive to an integrated aniline unit. Merchant volume — material actually sold on the open market — is a comparatively thin slice, so prices can move sharply when an integrated plant has an outage.
- Merchant supply is thinner than nameplate capacity suggests
- An integrated plant outage tightens the market fast
- Dual-source contracts matter more here, not less
Pack format & bulk economics
Cost per tonne falls sharply from drums to IBCs to ISO tank or dedicated road tanker. Continuous consumers running real tonnage should always be quoted on a bulk basis.
- Drums carry the highest packing cost per tonne
- ISO tanks and road tankers are cheapest at volume
- Tank turnaround and demurrage terms matter
Freight & DG surcharges
This is regulated cargo, so ocean freight carries a hazardous surcharge, and tank availability is tighter than for general liquid cargo. Destination and Incoterm move landed cost as much as the ex-works price does.
- Compare on landed cost, not ex-works
- ISO tank space books out ahead of peak season
- We quote FOB, CIF, CFR or DDP as you prefer
Source availability
A plant turnaround, an environmental inspection or a benzene supply disruption can take capacity offline at short notice. Single-sourced continuous consumers feel this hardest.
- We hold a second qualified source on this line
- Qualify the alternate before you need it
- Ask us about dual-source contracts
| If your end use is… | Specify |
|---|---|
| Catalytic hydrogenation to aniline | Low acidity, low moisture, tight impurity limits |
| Solvent for cellulose esters/ethers | Colour (APHA) ceiling, high assay |
| Dye / fine-chemical synthesis | Assay and colour as specified by your route |
| Bulk / continuous consumption | ISO tank or dedicated tanker logistics |
| Laboratory / R&D | Small pack, high purity, full analytical pack |
Not sure which column you are in? Describe the reaction or process you are running and our technical desk will recommend the grade — including telling you when a cheaper specification would do the job just as well.
Support that goes beyond shipping the drum
What our technical desk will do
- Match a grade to your process. Tell us whether you are hydrogenating to aniline or using the material as a solvent, and we will recommend the specification.
- Be straight about the hazard profile. We state the suspected-carcinogenicity classification at enquiry stage so your EHS team can price the controls into the decision, rather than meeting it for the first time on the label.
- Advise on cold-transit and storage for your site conditions — a below-freezing winter routing needs different tank or drum handling than a tropical one, given the ~6 °C freezing point.
- Review your specification before it goes into a contract, so you are not locked into a limit that no plant can consistently hit.
Regulatory & compliance notes
- Suspected-carcinogen obligations are jurisdiction-specific. Several regimes impose exposure monitoring, health surveillance and record retention for classified substances at this hazard level. Confirm what applies at your site before the first delivery.
- Import controls vary by destination. Some jurisdictions apply registration, licensing or end-use declaration requirements to bulk nitro-aromatics. We check the destination rules before quoting, not after you have raised the PO.
- Bulk tank logistics carry their own certification requirements — tank cleanliness, prior-cargo restrictions and dedicated-service rules vary by carrier and destination. We manage this as part of arranging bulk freight.
- Chemical inventory listings differ between regions. Confirm your obligations under the applicable inventory regime for your import volume — we will supply the identity data you need for that filing.
None of the above is legal advice — your own regulatory affairs team owns the final compliance position for your import and your workplace. What we commit to is giving you accurate product identity data, an honest statement of the hazard classification and complete documentation to work from.
From enquiry to delivered tanker or pallet
Send the specification
Product name or CAS 98-95-3, the assay, acidity and moisture limits you work to, quantity, pack or bulk preference and destination port.
Receive a firm quote
Pricing, lead time, packing or tank logistics and Incoterm confirmed in writing within 24 hours — our sourcing desk is staffed around the clock.
Qualify and approve
Sample dispatched if you are qualifying a new source. Batch COA shared for your approval before the material is released.
Ship and track
DG classification filed, freight or tank booked, export documents issued, and the consignment tracked through transit and clearance to your plant.
Often bought alongside this grade
Consolidate several intermediates onto one shipment and one invoice. These are the aromatics and downstream amines our aniline, MDI and dye-chemical customers most often order in the same programme. Browse the full range for current availability and CAS-level detail on each.
What buyers ask us about Nitro Benzene
Is this material classified as a carcinogen?
Is nitrobenzene the same as aniline?
What purity do you normally supply?
Can you supply in bulk — ISO tanks or road tankers?
What is the minimum order quantity?
How long does delivery take?
The material arrived partly solidified. Is it off-spec?
Why does acidity matter so much for hydrogenation buyers?
How should we store it, and what is the shelf life?
Is this a dangerous good? What paperwork comes with it?
- Batch certificate of analysis
- GHS-format safety data sheet
- Dangerous-goods declaration with UN number, class and packing group
- Commercial invoice, packing list and bill of lading, airway bill or tank shipping documents
- Certificate of origin and any destination-specific forms
Do you supply to my country?
Do you manufacture this yourself?
Can you hold stock against a production plan?
Request pricing on Nitro Benzene
Send your required assay, quantity, pack or bulk format and destination port. Our sourcing desk is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and comes back with pricing, lead time and logistics options — whether that is a single trial drum or a contracted ISO-tank programme for continuous consumption.