Ammonia oxidation in a microreactor

How is nitric oxide used?

Uses other than for making ammonium nitrate

Nitric acid can be used as a reactant (in a cyclohexane-based process) to make adipic acid. Cyclohexane is first oxidized with air to give a mixture of cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol. This mixture is then oxidized with nitric acid to make adipic acid.

Step One

C₆H₁₂ (cyclohexane) + O₂ (oxygen) --> C₆H₁₁O (cyclohexanone) + C₆H₁₁OH (cyclohexanol)

Step Two

C₆H₁₁O + C₆H₁₁OH + HNO₃ (nitric acid) --> HO-C(O)-(CH₂)₄-C(O)-OH (adipic acid)