Synlett 2013; 24(7): 889-890
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1318474
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© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Carbon Tetrabromide

Zhong-Yan Cao
Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, Department of Chemistry, East China Normal University, North Zhongshan Road 3663, Shanghai 200062, P. R. China   eMail: a10052130234@126.com
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Publikationsdatum:
18. März 2013 (online)

Introduction

Carbon tetrabromide, also known as tetrabromomethane, is a commercially available white solid which is stable at room temperature and can be easily handled. It is prepared either by the complete bromination of methane or by the reaction of tetrachloromethane with aluminum bromide. In combination with a tertiary phosphine, it has been used for the bromination of various functional groups, such as alcohols (Appel reaction),[ 1 ] N-heterocycles,[ 2 ] ethers,[ 3 ] and for converting aldehydes/ketones into 1,1-dibromo­alkenes[ 4 ] or alkynes[ 5 ] (Corey–Fuchs reaction). In addition, carbon tetrabromide is a highly efficient catalyst for versatile reactions, including acylation of phenols, alcohols and thiols,[ 6 ] acetalization and tetrahydropyranylation[ 7 ] and oxidation of aromatic methyl ketones[ 8 ] or alkenes[ 9 ] to carboxylic acids under very mild conditions. Carbon tetrabromide can further promote the synthesis of thioureas and thiuram disulfides.[ 10 ] Apart from these applications, carbon tetrabromide is also used as a crystal growth[ 11 ] and chain transfer agent[ 12 ] in polymer chemistry.