Carbonyl bromide, also known as bromophosgene, is a carbon oxohalide and a bromine analogue of phosgene, with the chemical formula COBr2.
Carbonyl bromide is a decomposition product of halon compounds used in fire extinguishers.
[2] Carbonyl bromide is formed by the oxidation of carbon tetrabromide with sulfuric acid: In contrast to phosgene, carbonyl bromide cannot be produced efficiently by halogenation of carbon monoxide.
The bromination of carbon monoxide follows this equation: But the process is slow at room temperature.
[3][4][clarification needed] Carbonyl bromide slowly decomposes to carbon monoxide and elemental bromine even at low temperatures.