The preparation of 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid from benzoic acid and nitric acid involves nitration, which is an electrophilic aromatic substitution reaction. The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:CHCOOH + 2 HNO CH NO COOH + 2 HOBenzoic acid CHCOOH reacts with two moles of nitric acid HNO to form 2,4-dinitrobenzoic acid CH NO COOH and two moles of water HO as a byproduct.