Consecutive substitution for three nitro groups in 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene under the action of benzotriazole and other nucleophiles

The N-benzotriazole unit and the nitro group are similar in the activating effect of nucleophilic substitution for an aromatic nitro group at the meta position; this fact makes it possible to replace consecutively all of the three nitro groups in 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene.