Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Desperately seeking method for ethyl bromide.

FrankMartin - 1-1-2011 at 19:21

We have elemental bromine and now we need a catalyst to drive the following reaction:
EtCl + 0.5Br2 --> EtBr + 0.5Cl2

Properties: (Boiling Points)
EtCl = 12.3degC
Br2 = 60decC
EtBr = 37degC
Cl2 = -34degC

Please help.
Frank

querjek - 1-1-2011 at 20:17

Do you have to start from EtCl? There's a thread on this board about generating EtBr from EtOH.

xwinorb - 1-1-2011 at 21:23

I suggest to you to look in the Rhodium site under "Nitroalkane FAQ" or something like that.

Easy, I have made it twice. As it is recomended, colect it under water, or it will simply evaporate out. You probably will see it bubling when doing the reaction, but you might not see it in the condenser because it is just evaporating out. So, have the condenser output under water to collect the EtBr.

After a while, it starts showing on the bottom. When finished, separate and dry with epson salts. It becomes clear then.

spong - 1-1-2011 at 22:48

http://www.books-about-california.com/Pages/Experimental_Org...
Just keep it cold and you'll be ok, I didn't collect under water because I have a ground glass setup and it's difficult, I kept the receiver in an icebath with a little water in it to start and you'll be ok. It smells very sweet and fruity just so you can avoid it.

[Edited on 2-1-2011 by spong]

FrankMartin - 2-1-2011 at 17:03

Thanks to all. I can make it by the usual methods, but I have some bromine I want to use up.
Frank

Sedit - 2-1-2011 at 17:50

Then perform the finkelstein reaction in acetone with Sodium bromide. If your hell bent on using up your bromine im sure you could use it for something that makes more sense.

chemrox - 2-1-2011 at 22:55

Like the very useful compound bromobenzene!

madscientist - 9-1-2011 at 07:06

Quote:
It smells very sweet and fruity just so you can avoid it.


No one should be familiar with the scent of ethyl bromide. It is a very potent carcinogen, as is often the case with alkylating agents.

DJF90 - 9-1-2011 at 07:22

I found that HBr fumes also share a similar fruity odour.