Leaving it out in the sun for a little while is no guarantee of decomposition. Indeed, to quantitatively eliminate the nitrate would require a huge
amount of exposure; the solution would be bubbling, and get rather hot from the reaction, not to mention absorption, if it actually decomposed in that
time.
Moreover, the presence of light sensitizes ether, and the presence of radicals, in the air, in the ether and in the acid solution (various nitro-
molecules) compounds the problem. Peroxides probably aren't stable in acid like that, but plenty of interesting nitro- and nitroso- things could form
(come to think of it, I wonder what all would happen, and how sensitive the products are).
In short: you read our warnings, disregarded them, and proceeded in an even less safe manner.
Tim |