What is the reaction intermediate in a nitration process ?

Explanation

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Understanding Nitration Process**: Nitration is a chemical process that introduces a nitro group (-NO2) into an organic compound. This is typically done using a mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

2. **Reagents Involved**: The primary reagents in the nitration process are nitric acid and sulfuric acid. The sulfuric acid acts as a dehydrating agent and helps to generate the nitronium ion (NO2+), which is the active electrophile in the reaction.

3. **Formation of the Electrophile**: In the presence of sulfuric acid, nitric acid undergoes a reaction where the hydroxyl (OH) group is protonated, leading to the formation of water. The remaining species is the nitronium ion (NO2+), which is a positively charged ion and acts as the electrophile in the nitration process.

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