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Nitration is a chemical reaction where a nitro group (-NO2) is introduced into a molecule. This typically involves reacting an organic compound with nitric acid, often in the presence of sulfuric acid. The resulting nitro compounds can be used as explosives, solvents, or intermediates in further chemical processes. Aromatic compounds like benzene are commonly nitrated at lower temperatures, while aliphatic compounds require higher temperatures. The nitro group is electron-withdrawing and can influence the reactivity of the molecule, particularly in nucleophilic substitution reactions.

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