TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Components: The zeolite is faujasite, mordenite, beta, EMT, ITQ-21, ITQ-4 or SSZ-31. The molecular sieve is titanium- beta silicate, boron- beta silicate or gallium- beta silicate. The weight ratio of catalytic material to substrate compound is 5/95-20/80. The polyphosphoric acid is 115% polyphosphoric acid. The molar ratio of nitric acid to substrate compound is 1/1-1/1.2. The weight ratio of nitric acid to polyphosphoric acid is 20/80-25/75.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: The process further comprises: adjusting the temperature of the reaction mixture before the addition of nitric acid; adjusting the temperature of the reaction mixture after the addition of nitric acid; addition of a nitro compound diluent with the nitric acid; and isolating and/or recovering the nitrated product. The nitric acid and diluent are co-fed in separate streams. Preferred Components: The diluent is nitrobenzene and/or nitromethane. The molar ratio of diluent to substrate compound is less than 5/1 or 0.5/1-1/1. EXAMPLE - Zeolite catalyst (2 g), ortho-xylene (12.7 g) and 115% polyphosphoric acid (30 g) were combined in a round bottom flask (100 ml) as a reactor. The mixture was stirred mechanically while being heated to 50 degrees C. Separately, 100% nitric acid (6.3 g) was combined and homogenized with nitrobenzene (10 g) in an addition funnel. After the reaction mixture attained steady state, the nitric acid/nitrobenzene mixture was added drop wise at 50 degrees C, keeping the reactor temperature below 60 degrees C. The reactor was held at 50 degrees C for 1 hour. The reaction mixture was then quenched with cold deionized water (40 ml) and stirred vigorously. Then, approximately methylene chloride (30 ml) was added to the reactor and stirred. The contents of the reactor were filtered and rinsed with deionized water and methylene chloride until the filtrate was colorless. The filtrate was transferred into a separation funnel and phase cut was carried out. The aqueous layer was extracted once more with methylene chloride and the combined organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate. The organic layer containing magnesium sulfate was filtered and methylene chloride was removed in a rotovap, and worked up to give substituted nitro-benzene compound.