Benzyltrimethylammonium tribromide (BTMA Br
3), a stable solid brominating agent, can be prepared by the reaction of benzyltrimethylammonium chloride with sodium bromate and hydrobromic acid in aqueous solution. In this article, the useful synthetic applications of BTMA Br
3 are described. The reactions of aromatic compounds such as phenols, aromatic amines, aromatic ethers and acetanilides with BTMA Br
3 in dichloromethane-methanol at room temperature give easily bromo-substituted products in good yields, respectively. On the reaction of arenes with BTMA Br
3, electrophilic.bromination occurs in acetic acid in the presence of zinc chloride, and benzylic brominatlon proceeds in refluxing benzene in the presence of AIBN. Furthermore, BTMA Br
3 reacts with acetyl derivatives to give dibromoacetyl derivatives, and with alkenes to give 1, 2-dibromo adducts.
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