Bromoacetone is available commercially, sometimes stabilized with magnesium oxide. It was first described in the 19th century, attributed to N. Sokolowsky.[3]
Acetone and bromine form bromoacetone.
Bromoacetone is prepared by combining bromine and acetone,[4] with catalytic acid. As with all ketones, acetone enolizes in the presence of acids or bases. The alpha carbon then undergoes electrophilic substitution with bromine. The main difficulty with this method is over-bromination, resulting in di- and tribrominated products. If a base is present, bromoform is obtained instead, by the haloform reaction.[5]
Applications
It was used in World War I as a chemical weapon, called BA by British and B-Stoff (Weisskreuz) by Germans. Due to its toxicity, it is not used as a riot control agent anymore. Bromoacetone is a versatile reagent in organic synthesis. It is, for example, the precursor to hydroxyacetone by reaction with aqueous sodium hydroxide.[6]
^Burreson, B. J.; Moore, R. E.; Roller, P. P. (1976). "Volatile halogen compounds in the alga Asparagopsis taxiformis (Rhodophyta)". Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 24 (4): 856–861. doi:10.1021/jf60206a040.
^Reusch, W. (2013-05-05). "Carbonyl Reactivity". Virtual Textbook of Organic Chemistry. Michigan State University. Archived from the original on 2010-06-21. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
