The synthetic scheme employed here was a modification of Holleman's oxidation route. Mixed acid nitration of the ethyl carbamate of m-toluidine gave the 2, 4, 6-trinitro derivative 10 in 88% yield. Hydrolysis of 10 occurred slowly in hot aqueous HzS04 (90-95" C, 6 h) to give an 88% yield of the trinitrotoluidine ll. lSJ7 Since peroxydisulfuric acid is such a powerful reagent for oxidation of polynitroanilines to polynitroaromatics (Caro's acid was ...