Tetrabromoethylene


Tetrabromoethylene is an organobromine compound with the chemical formula. Its structure is. Under standard conditions, it exists in a form of colorless crystals. It is a brominated derivative of ethylene. Tetrabromoethylene is a potential fungicide and bactericide on fruits. It was used in mineral separation. It is an irritant.
It is prepared from acetylene and bromine in multiple steps. One method involves dehydrobromination of pentabromoethane, other method involves bromination of dibromoethylene in chloroform. Reaction of mercuric acetylide and bromine also gives tetrabromoethylene. It can be produced by oxybrominating butane with free oxygen and bromine.
Tetrabromoethylene gives tribromoacetyl bromide upon treatment with fuming nitric acid.