How is aniline manufactured from benzene through nitrobenzene?

The manufacturing of aniline from benzene involves a two-step process:

1. Nitration of Benzene: Benzene is first treated with a mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids to produce nitrobenzene.
2. Reduction to Aniline: Nitrobenzene is then reduced to aniline. Commercially, this is most commonly achieved through catalytic hydrogenation. Alternatively, the reduction can be performed using iron borings in an aqueous acid medium.1

This transformation is a critical industrial process, as aniline serves as a foundational base for the production of various dyes, drugs, explosives, and plastics.1