Organobromine chemistry

A variety of minor organobromine compounds are found in nature, but none are biosynthesized or required by mammals.

Chlorine-based catalysts (FeCl3, AlCl3) could be used, but yield would drop slightly as dihalogens(BrCl) could form.

Free-radical addition is used commercially for the synthesis of 1-bromoalkanes, precursors to tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium salts.

It and tetrabromophthalic anhydride are precursors to polymers wherein the backbone features covalent carbon-bromine bonds.

Other fire retardants, such as hexabromocyclododecane and the bromodiphenyl ethers, are additives and are not chemically attached to the material they protect.

Methyl bromide is also an effective fumigant, but its production and use are controlled by the Montreal Protocol.

Commercially available organobromine pharmaceuticals include the vasodilator nicergoline, the sedative brotizolam, the anticancer agent pipobroman, and the antiseptic merbromin.

Even though the concentration of bromide is only 0.3% of that for chloride in sea water, organobromine compounds are more prevalent in marine organisms than organochlorine derivatives.

[10] Red algae, such as the edible Asparagopsis taxiformis, eaten in Hawaii as "limu kohu", concentrate organobromine and organoiodine compounds in "vesicle cells"; 95% of the essential volatile oil of Asparagopsis, prepared by drying the seaweed in a vacuum and condensing using dry ice, is organohalogen compounds, of which bromoform comprises 80% by weight.

5-Bromouracil and 3-Bromo-tyrosine have been identified in human white blood cells as products of myeloperoxidase-induced halogenation on invading pathogens.

[13] In addition to conventional brominated natural products, a variety of organobromine compounds result from the biodegradation of fire-retardants.

Metabolites include methoxylated and hydroxylated aryl bromides as well as brominated dioxin derivatives.