Looking for classes? Ksquare Career Institute, Bengaluru →
Nitration of aniline in strong acidic medium also gives m-nitroaniline because
Explanation
Protonated $-NH_3^+$ is meta-directing.
Detailed Solution
$C_6H_5NH_2 + H^+ \rightleftharpoons C_6H_5\overset{+}{N}H_3$ (anilinium ion)
$-\overset{+}{N}H_3$ is m-directing, hence besides para (51%) and ortho (2%), the meta product (47%) is also formed in significant yield.
So m-nitroaniline forms because aniline exists as the anilinium ion in strongly acidic medium.
