Highly Efficient Oxidative Bromination of Alkanes with the HBr-H2O2 System in the Presence of Catalyst

Various cycloalkanes and straight-chain alkanes were efficiently brominated with an aqueous HBr-H2O2 system. This oxidative brominating process was promoted by catalysis and irradiation with light. The cycloalkanes were converted to the corresponding bromo-cycloalkanes in moderate yields and the straight-chain alkanes produced dominantly secondary bromides. This simple but effective bromination method of alkanes is characterized by high atom efficiency, inexpensive reagents and the absence of organic waste, which make it a good alternative to the existing method for CH activation through bromination.