After many a painstaking attempt I finally made a decent qty of 4,4-dinitrotriphenylamine. Just for interest sake I would like to know if it is
possible to convert the nitro groups to aldehydes ie I would like to prepare the 4,4'-(phenylimino)dibenzaldehyde for a polymer I have in mind. The
thing is if reduce to an amine first I am still at a loss on how to diazotise and convert to methyls.
Which would then require oxidation to the aldehyde. My fear is the losses of material I could suffer