Nitronium tetrafluoroborate is an inorganic compound with formula . It is a salt of nitronium cation and tetrafluoroborate anion. It is a colorless crystalline solid, which reacts with water to form the corrosive acids hydrogen fluoride () and nitric acid (). As such, it must be handled under water-free conditions. It is sparsely soluble in many organic solvents.
Preparation
Nitronium tetrafluoroborate can be prepared by adding a mixture of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride and boron trifluoride to a nitromethane solution of nitric acid or dinitrogen pentoxide ().
Applications
Nitronium tetrafluoroborate is used in organic synthesis as an electrophilic nitrating agent and a mild oxidant.
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