Bromotrichloromethane

Bromotrichloromethane is a tetrahalomethane with the chemical formula. This is a halomethane containing one bromine atom and three chlorine atoms. Bromotrichloromethane is a volatile, non-flammable, colorless liquid with a pungent odor that is practically insoluble in water but miscible with organic solvents.

Synthesis

Bromotrichloromethane can be obtained by treating carbon tetrachloride with hydrogen bromide or aluminum bromide. It can also be obtained by reacting trichloromethane with bromine at 225 to 400 °C or potassium trichloroacetate with bromine at 120 °C.

Uses

Bromotrichloromethane is used as a chain transfer agent for the radical polymerization of methacrylates and as a brominating agent.
It is used for the addition of Br-CCl₃ across double bonds.