Sodium nitrite-catalyzed oxybromination of aromatic compounds and aryl ketones with a combination of hydrobromic acid and molecular oxygen under mild conditions

A novel and efficient catalytic system for the oxybromination of aromatic compounds and aryl ketones utilizing a combination of aqueous hydrobromic acid and molecular oxygen in the presence of sodium nitrite under mild conditions has been developed. The newly developed catalytic system utilizes cheap and readily available reactants, exhibits high bromine atom economy and releases only innocuous water as the by-product.