Editing Nitro compound (section)

{{Short description|Organic compound containing an −NO₂ group}}
{{Distinguish|Nitrate ester}}
{{see also|Transition metal nitrite complex}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
[[File:Nitro-group.svg|class=skin-invert-image|thumb|right|150px|The structure of an organic nitro compound]]

In [[organic chemistry]], '''nitro compounds''' are [[organic compound]]s that contain one or more '''nitro''' [[functional group]]s ({{chem2|\sNO2}}). The nitro group is one of the most common [[explosophore]]s (functional group that makes a compound explosive) used globally. The nitro group is also strongly [[electron-withdrawing group|electron-withdrawing]]. Because of this property, {{chem2|[[Carbon–hydrogen bond|C\sH]]}} bonds alpha (adjacent) to the nitro group can be acidic. For similar reasons, the presence of nitro groups in aromatic compounds retards [[electrophilic aromatic substitution]] but facilitates [[nucleophilic aromatic substitution]].  Nitro groups are rarely found in nature. They are almost invariably produced by nitration reactions starting with [[nitric acid]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Nitro and Nitroso Groups: Part 2, Volume 2 |year=1970 |editor=Henry Feuer |isbn=978-0-470-77117-4 |doi=10.1002/9780470771174 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |series=PATAI'S Chemistry of Functional Groups|volume=2 }}{{cite book |title=Nitro and Nitroso Groups: Supplement F: Part 2, Volume 2 |year=1982 |editor=Saul Patai |isbn=978-0-470-77167-9 |doi=10.1002/9780470771679 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |series=PATAI'S Chemistry of Functional Groups}}{{cite book |title=Amino, Nitroso and Nitro Compounds and Their Derivatives: Supplement F: Part 1, Volume 1 |year=1982 |editor=Saul Patai |isbn=978-0-470-77166-2 |doi=10.1002/9780470771662 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons Ltd. |series=PATAI'S Chemistry of Functional Groups}}</ref>