TNT: Trinitrotoluenes and Mono and Dinitrotoluenes

HISTORICAL 15
After Beilstein and Kuhlberg completed their work
on the nitrotoluenes, they set about investigating toluene
to discover whether or not this substance existed in
isomeric forms, thinking thereby to explain the isomerism
of the toluene derivatives. Their experiments
are interesting in the extreme, but are too lengthy to
discuss in this book. Suffice it to say that the results
of their research proved conclusively that toluene
existed in but one form.
In considering the discovery of dinitrotoluene, we
must again give the credit to Deville. His original
paper on the general subject of toluene and its nitration
derivatives contains the statement that he prepared
the dinitro-compound, which he called " binitrobenzoen,"
in direct accordance with the scheme of
nomenclature he adopted. Deville gives the meltingpoint
of his preparation as 71°. Therefore it is inferred
that his " binitrobenzoen " was 1-2-4 dinitrotoluene.
(15)
Cahours also prepared a dinitrotoluene, but unfortunately
he did not leave any data as to which of the
isomers he obtained.
Beilstein and Kuhlberg prepared two dinitrotoluenes,
but give the melting-point of but one of the two.
This was the same as that of Deville. The work of
Beilstein and Kuhlberg seems to have been mostly
on the mononitro-compounds of toluene, and the acidic
and basic compounds of mononitrotoluene.
Dr. 0. Cunerth, in a paper dated 1874, (16) gives
probably the most comprehensive summary of the history
and discovery of the dinitrotoluenes to be found.
His paper begins with this statement: "It is known
that in the nitration of toluene, two modifications are