What is Boron Tribromide?
Boron tribromide is an inorganic compound that is majorly used in the organic synthesis process as a catalyst and it can be used as an intermediate too by chemical or electronic industries. The chemical formula of the compound is BB3 and its molecular weight is defined as the 250.522 g mol-1. Here, boron is placed in the center and three bromide ions are connected around.
Boron Tribromide Structure
This is an exception of rules of an octet of valence electrons. The compound has a tri-planar structure and there is a 120-degree angle defined among different bonds. The chemical structure for the compound is given as below.
Boron Tribromide Chemical Formula
The presence of the compound can be easily felt in nature and it was primarily synthesized in 1846. It can be prepared from different chemical reactions too and needs to be heated at a temperature of 300 degree Celsius or above. If we look at the physical properties closely then this is a colorless to amber liquid with a pungent odor.
ROR´ + BBr3 → ROBBr2 + RBr
Boron Tribromide Molecular
The density of the compound is 2.643 g ml-1, its melting point is -46 degree Celsius, and the boiling point is 91 degree Celsius. This is soluble in sulfur dioxide, carbon tetrachloride, or sulfur dichloride etc. it can be decomposed by water or alcohols too. This is a strong Lewis acid that accepts electrons from a Lewis base. it is attacked preferentially by the oxygen and its chemical reaction could be given as below.
It is largely used as a semiconductor too by electronic manufacturing industries. This is used as a raw material for obtaining caustic soda and the soda ash.