outline the mechanism for the nitration of methyl benzoate and show how sulfuric acid behaves as a catalyst

You will be given the equationThis reaction is an electrophilic substitution which is the most common reactions among benzene groups that you will come across at A levelThe question tells you that it is a nitration and this is an important need to know electrophilic substitution reactionThe first step involves forming the electrophile which is an electron pair acceptor and in this case is NO2+The electrophile is formed by reacting nitric acid (the reactant) and sulfuric acid (the catalyst)HNO3 + H2SO4 --- NO2+ + HSO4- + H2Othe delocalised electron ring of benzene donates electrons to NO2+ forming a bond and an unstable intermediate (draw) with a partially delocalised electron ringThe bond betweeen carbon and hydrogen is broken as electrons are donated back into the electron ring to stabilize the molecule forming the product and a H+Catalysts must remain unchanged or reform at the end of the reaction so the H+ will react with the HSO4- to reform into sulfuric acid