1-Bromopentane: Exploring Its Journey, Uses, and Future
Historical Development
Chemists started working with brominated alkanes in the nineteenth century, opening new doors for synthetic organic chemistry. The discovery of 1-bromopentane marked a critical step for longer-chain alkyl bromides. In the early industrial era, the ability to replace a hydrogen atom in n-pentane with bromine using elemental bromine and ultraviolet light quickly led to the isolation and use of this clear, colorless liquid. The substance’s relevance in labs grew with advances in nucleophilic substitution reactions, particularly in the decades that followed World War II.
Product Overview
1-Bromopentane, a straight-chain alkyl bromide also called n-pentyl bromide, presents a five-carbon backbone capped with a bromine at the terminal carbon. This linear molecule offers a solid combination of reactivity and stability, making it handy for modifying other compounds. Its role extends from synthetic chemistry research to industrial manufacturing, and it has become a staple in organic laboratories worldwide. From my own work with building organic intermediates, I’ve seen how adding a functional bromo group streamlines multi-step syntheses by giving chemists a well-behaved leaving group for substitution or elimination reactions.
Physical & Chemical Properties
1-Bromopentane appears as a clear, colorless to slightly yellow liquid, and doesn’t mix well with water. Instead, it floats on water due to its lower polarity but dissolves in solvents like ether, chloroform, and alcohol. The boiling point hits about 130 to 132°C, and it melts at -81°C, far below room temperature, which makes it easy to handle as a liquid. The density sits above water (around 1.2 g/cm3), a physical clue that a heavy atom such as bromine is on board. Its refractive index comes in at 1.443–1.45. These properties tell chemists how to purify, isolate, and store the liquid—but safety measures become a real concern due to its volatility and flammability.
Technical Specifications & Labeling
Companies selling 1-bromopentane tend to specify purity above 98 percent, usually checked by gas chromatography. Packaged in amber glass or HDPE bottles to shield the liquid from light and minimize contamination, each shipment labels the CAS number (110-53-2), signal words, hazard pictograms, and handling instructions. Detailed Safety Data Sheets (SDS) accompany every container, in line with international standards such as GHS and REACH, ensuring anyone touching the product gets upfront details about potential hazards.
Preparation Method
Industrially, 1-bromopentane production depends on free-radical halogenation. Mixing n-pentane with bromine under UV light prompts a chain reaction that swaps a hydrogen for a bromine atom, mostly at the terminal position when conditions favor primary substitution. Another frequent route uses n-pentanol and treat it with concentrated hydrobromic acid, sometimes aided by sulfuric acid, to drive the nucleophilic substitution that expels water and sticks bromine onto the carbon chain. Sealing this reaction in a suitable vessel and distilling off product works reliably; my lab experience with these syntheses highlighted the importance of good ventilation and temperature control to prevent unwanted side products or excess heat buildup.
Chemical Reactions & Modifications
Chemists value 1-bromopentane for its reactivity in SN2 nucleophilic substitution. It quickly forms new pentyl derivatives with nucleophiles such as sodium cyanide (for pentanenitrile), potassium hydroxide (yielding pentanol), or sodium thiolate (making thioethers). Grignard reagent synthesis taps into its pentyl group; adding magnesium in dry ether gives n-pentylmagnesium bromide, which opens the door to various carbon–carbon bond-forming reactions. Further, coupling reactions—especially in pharmaceutical and agrochemical research—turn 1-bromopentane into a flexible starting point for more complicated molecules. Real-world examples line up with classic organic textbook transformations, reinforcing its practical importance.
Synonyms & Product Names
Over the decades, 1-bromopentane has picked up several alternative names such as n-pentyl bromide, pentamethylene bromide, and pentane, 1-bromo-. Catalogs sometimes reference it under English, French, or German translations, but the structure remains unchanged—a linear alkyl chain with bromine at one end. The consistency of naming in scientific and commercial circles helps avoid confusion, even as manufacturers build different brands or concentrations.
Safety & Operational Standards
Handling 1-bromopentane demands solid safety protocols: fume hoods, nitrile gloves, and splash goggles aren’t optional. Direct skin or eye contact risks burns and irritation, while inhalation of vapors can hit the respiratory tract. The compound often draws regulatory oversight for shipping and disposal, with hazardous waste outlets obliged to follow both local rules and international treaty guidelines. Companies usually invest in staff safety training because even short exposures on the lab bench can leave lasting harm. That lesson came through early in my own training, where minor spills drove home how little margin for error the material gives.
Application Area
In real-world industry and academic work, 1-bromopentane stands out for its flexibility. Pharmaceutical projects rely on its chain extension abilities during medicinal chemistry campaigns, swapping the bromine for nitrogen, oxygen, or sulfur partners to make active molecules. Agrochemical makers draw on the same chemistry to tailor pesticide and herbicide building blocks. Polymer and surfactant chemists use it to modify molecular weight or introduce hydrophobic tails to new materials. Sometimes, you’ll even find it involved in making surface-active agents for specialty coatings or emulsions. From small-scale flask reactions to hundred-liter reactors, its range truly goes the distance.
Research & Development
Ongoing research draws inspiration from the simple structure and manageable reactivity of 1-bromopentane. Labs looking to streamline green synthesis seek ways to avoid elemental bromine or minimize halogenated waste, exploring microwave-assisted techniques or catalytic conversion. A lot of work zeroes in on stereoselective transformations, using the compound’s straight chain as a stage for building more challenging motifs. The field benefits from robust analytical data—IR, NMR, mass spectrometry—that make method validation and impurity tracking straightforward. In my own research, these characteristics helped cut method development time, letting me shift focus to molecular design rather than troubleshooting analysis.
Toxicity Research
Research into 1-bromopentane’s health effects reveals a story common to many organohalides. Studies show that exposure can harm the central nervous system, liver, and kidneys, with repeated skin contact leading to dermatitis in sensitive workers. Animal models demonstrate that chronic inhalation in high concentrations causes liver and lung pathology, stirring regulatory interest and workplace restrictions. As more toxicological data emerge, especially on metabolic breakdown by cytochrome P450 enzymes, safety protocols keep evolving. I’ve watched as labs implemented stricter air monitoring or personal dosimeters, shaped by updated findings on both acute and cumulative effects of brominated organics.
Future Prospects
Synthetic chemists continue to push for safer, more sustainable alternatives to brominated intermediates. Yet, 1-bromopentane’s efficiency and reliability keep it in regular use. Ongoing advances aim to reduce environmental fallout during its manufacture, with greener brominating agents and continuous-flow systems curbing emissions. Regulatory agencies push for more disclosure and safer work practices, spurring innovation in both process engineering and product stewardship. In the coming years, I expect continued shifts toward renewable feedstocks and closed-loop production, making this classic intermediary fit better into responsible manufacturing. Demand will likely hold steady for high-purity, precisely characterized product, reflecting its central role across industries.
Where 1-Bromopentane Matters
Ask anyone who has spent hours bent over a fume hood, and they know that simple-sounding chemicals can have a whole world of use. 1-Bromopentane, a clear liquid with a slightly sweet, sharp smell, seems insignificant on its own. In fact, this compound forms the starting point for many bigger things, and its role stretches from classrooms to commercial labs.
Building Blocks in Chemistry
Chemists reach for 1-Bromopentane when they want to introduce a five-carbon chain into a molecule. Simple alkyl halides like this one open a lot of doors: they make it possible to create other chemicals needed for medicine, flavors, fragrances, and specialty materials. The chemical itself acts as a featureless starting piece, like plain Lego bricks, but what comes next can look like anything from a nerve soother to a solvent or even an anti-corrosion agent.
Working in a university organic chemistry lab, I've handed off more than a few bottles of 1-Bromopentane for classic substitution reactions. Students use it for experiments showing how one atom swaps for another, a basic idea that pharmaceutical companies still put to use on a much larger scale. The lesson goes well beyond the classroom—these reactions power processes all around modern chemistry and industry.
Makes More Than Itself
The real importance of 1-Bromopentane shows up in the products downstream. It doesn’t usually end up in a finished good, but it helps create the active part of drugs or fine chemicals. For example, it serves as a precursor for making amines and other compounds that help relieve allergy symptoms or clean up industrial equipment. It also feeds into synthesizing surfactants—molecules that let water and oil mix—found in cleaning products and lotions.
Another big area involves research and test kits. Researchers order 1-Bromopentane to investigate reaction pathways or build molecules that help them understand disease. Anyone examining the chemistry behind pharmaceutical development or manufacturing marine coatings runs into chemicals like this fairly early in the process.
Health, Safety, and Environmental Impact
Contact with 1-Bromopentane can irritate skin and eyes, and working with it calls for gloves and goggles. When spilled, it disappears slowly, and it can build up in the environment. Factories and labs have a job to keep emissions low and make sure waste doesn’t end up in stormwater or rivers. The Environmental Protection Agency in the U.S. and similar regulators around the world enforce strict controls to limit harm.
Seeking Better Alternatives
As industries look to clean up their act, attention turns to greener, safer reagents. 1-Bromopentane has served its role well, but there’s a push to replace older chemicals with new ones that work just as well and cause less harm. Research teams test out bio-based alternatives and search for ways to make these reactions work in water, not harsh industrial solvents. Change won’t come overnight, but chemists share a responsibility to keep developing better ways to build all the things that make up daily life.
Getting Precise with 1-Bromopentane’s Formula
Learning about organic chemistry brings up a lot of odd-sounding names. 1-Bromopentane is one of those names from the world of hydrocarbons and halides, but it isn’t just a textbook exercise. Its formula, C5H11Br, matters every time someone tries to make something with it in a lab, whether that’s prepping for a reaction or manufacturing materials that end up in tech, medicines, or even fuels. I’ve seen plenty of confusion in student labs when someone swapped a hydrogen or chose the wrong position for a bromine—turns out, that changes what you get entirely.
Mistakes Lead to Real Problems
I remember a friend once tried synthesizing a different alkyl halide but mixed up the formulas. The result? Several hours and hundreds of dollars gone, all because of one small error in the chemical recipe. The molecular formula isn’t just pedantry: it lets chemists predict exactly how much of each element is present and how the atoms connect. For 1-Bromopentane, the C5 means you’re dealing with five carbons in a straight chain, H11 reveals how it fills out the hydrogens around those carbons, and Br tells you there’s a single bromine in there, bonded to the end carbon.
Chemical Building Blocks Create Economic Impact
Let’s break this down. In industry, companies produce 1-Bromopentane to act as a starting point for other reactions. It can be used to build drugs, perfumes, or custom materials. The molecular formula acts as the foundation. If someone working at a specialty chemical company misinterprets which brominated pentane to use, it’s not only the product quality that suffers; the company risks its reputation and financial bottom line. According to reports by market research firms, errors at this basic molecular level can force entire production lines to shut down for costly troubleshooting.
Safety Is on the Line
Lab safety relies on knowing what you’re handling. 1-Bromopentane isn’t exceptionally hazardous, but like many brominated organics, it’s flammable and can irritate skin or lungs. Misidentifying a compound thanks to an ambiguous formula usually ends in wasted resources, but sometimes it turns into an emergency. I once watched a classmate pour a halide into water, thinking it harmless, only to find out it was actually supposed to be handled in a hood. Many chemical accidents trace back to sloppy attention to basic details, starting with the formula.
Showing Your Work: Building Trust in Science
Trust counts for a lot, in science and in business. Regulators, investors, and everyday buyers want transparency and accuracy. That starts with reporting the right molecular formula on every label, certificate, and safety sheet. Regulatory compliance flows from getting this single string of letters and numbers right. Companies often get dinged by audits because staff scrambles to correct labels after receiving reprimands or fines. Teaching young chemists to double check formulas saves headaches years down the line.
Simple Fixes: Straightforward Solutions
Better training is the first step. Instructors should stress the underlying logic of chemical nomenclature—why C5H11Br means what it means—so it sinks in deeper than rote memorization. Modern laboratories who digitize their chemical inventories and use barcodes reduce human error, too. Peer review of lab notebooks and production protocols catches simple mistakes before they become expensive ones. All of this is about respecting the formula: C5H11Br isn’t just trivia—it’s a safeguard for science, manufacturing, and safety. That little string says a lot.
Staying Safe with a Simple Chemical
DNA experiments, extractions, and organic synthesis projects have always filled school and work days with both excitement and caution. 1-Bromopentane appears from time to time, sometimes as a reagent that seems easy to handle but still has hidden risks. Take it from long afternoons spent monitoring unfamiliar bottles — the storage of 1-Bromopentane tells a story about discipline and respect for chemistry’s invisible dangers.
Clear Risks Deserve Clear Routines
Despite looking like so many other colorless liquids in the storeroom, 1-Bromopentane acts as a mild irritant. Skin rashes and headaches aren't rare for those who forget their gloves or ignore a spill. More concerning, its vapor slowly creeps out and can take its toll on lungs. Most folks underestimate how fast such vapors build up in a closed cupboard or a warm corner. Over the years, I’ve learned to trust my nose far less than the data sheets: the threshold for danger hides well below any obvious smell.
Flammable and heavier than air, these fumes like to sink and linger. You can’t just stash this chemical anywhere, wish it luck, and walk away. It demands a home that seals tightly, kept away from any ignition source or rising heat. Once a glass stopper jammed in a bottle after a warm weekend meant extra effort and a nervous minute. Safety starts with good basics: air out the area, keep fire out, and tag every bottle clearly.
Organization: Not Just Tidiness, But Real Safety
I used to think alphabetizing shelves made for neat spaces, but practical safety means more than convenience. 1-Bromopentane needs a place far from acids and strong oxidizers, since mixing these by accident can trigger unexpected, hazardous reactions. My old boss always locked up all alkyl halides together in a dedicated Flammable Storage Cabinet — not some corner or cardboard box, but a grounded metal case designed for chemicals like these.
Don’t take shortcuts with the label either. Include not just the name and date, but the hazard warnings as well. Nobody wants to stumble upon an unmarked vessel and have to guess what’s inside. I’ve watched folks spend half an hour searching for lost chemicals. Good record-keeping spares everyone danger and confusion, especially during inventory or emergencies.
Lessons from Experience and Practice
Leaks once ruined an entire cabinet shelf, soaking stacks of books and sample bags. Lesson learned: never use temporary or loose caps, and replace worn-out seals right away. If a container looks old or the cap feels sticky, it belongs in hazardous waste, not on the shelf. Storage works best when everyone shares responsibility, double-checking each other's habits and offering reminders before disaster hits.
Ensure all handling happens with proper ventilation. In crowded classrooms or teaching labs, that means working in a fume hood, or at least near an open window. Don’t just trust building air conditioning — 1-Bromopentane isn’t that forgiving. Spills should be covered with absorbent pads and disposed of in special containers, never in the regular trash or down the drain. The fix is not complicated, just steady: maintain good habits, keep your space organized, and don’t relax just because you’ve gotten away with a shortcut once or twice.
Building a Culture, Not Just a System
Science takes teamwork and trust. Training never ends, and every newcomer needs to watch and ask questions before solo work. Respect for chemicals like 1-Bromopentane grows from daily routines and stories exchanged about close calls. Keep things simple, follow what’s proven, and make safe storage second nature — because in the long run, it’s not the chemical that stays, it’s the lesson.
An Honest Look at Risks in the Lab and Beyond
Most folks outside a chemistry lab rarely cross paths with 1-bromopentane. This chemical, often showing up as a colorless liquid with a sharp odor, lives in the world of organic synthesis. I’ve worked with it at the bench, always with gloves and goggles. Not because I’m paranoid, but because the risks are not rumors—there’s real science behind them.
Immediate Hazards That Can't Be Ignored
If 1-bromopentane drips onto skin, it can sting or cause redness. Even whiffing a small amount makes your nose and throat burn. It’s volatile; a spill can stink up a whole room fast. Eyes don’t forgive accidents—this chemical produces watering and pain, and accidental splashes need quick rinsing.
Real Stories Outweigh Dry Safety Sheets
Chemistry students swap stories about careless spills, or how they forgot to tighten a cap and had to air out the lab for an hour. These stories stick because, behind the stinging eyes and scratchy throats, you find a simple lesson: basic mistakes invite exposure.
Respiratory Exposure Sits at the Core of Risk
1-bromopentane vapor travels fast. Without good ventilation, even a closed bottle leaks enough to set off that harsh, chemical smell. Inhalation brings headaches. Researchers reported drowsiness and dizziness from just a few minutes of exposure at above-recommended limits. Chronic exposure isn’t something you sign up for—a study in Chemico-Biological Interactions (2019) found long-term overexposure led to nervous system effects in animals, including tremors and trouble moving.
Hidden Risks to Organs
Nobody volunteers to be the proof that liver or kidney damage can happen from years of chemical exposure. Still, 1-bromopentane’s close relatives—other brominated alkanes—have landed workers in the hospital before. The data suggests these kinds of chemicals, when mishandled, do more than burn skin. Over time and with repeated exposure, they go deeper, reaching internal organs and raising risks of chronic diseases. Cleaning up after spills, skipping fume hoods, or refusing gloves gives the chemical extra shots at your health.
Preventing Harm: Practical Actions Matter
Stick with gloves, splash goggles, and lab coats—no exceptions. Fume hoods take the sting out of working with 1-bromopentane; even seasoned professionals lean on good ventilation. I’ve seen what happens when shortcuts win out, and it’s not worth the extra laundry or worse, a trip to urgent care.
Proper training isn’t a box to check off. You want to recognize the smell, spot leaks early, and know emergency rinsing rules by heart. Outdated storage leads to accidents. Keeping bottles sealed and away from ignition sources saves headaches—literally and legally, since labs must answer for chemical mismanagement.
It’s easy to forget how tough chemicals can be. They don’t just cause trouble on contact; fumes persist in small spaces, and waste piles up if not disposed of responsibly. Following proper disposal rules stops extra hazards from leaving the lab and entering the water supply or trash, where they don’t belong.
Health Comes Down to Smart Choices
Workplaces need solid policies. Safety isn’t one person’s job. Making protective gear available, updating training often, and regular checks on ventilation systems protects everyone. Even curious kids or untrained staff can get hurt by unsupervised chemicals. Simple habits, like closing lids and double-checking where you work, can make the difference between a safe day and a story nobody wants to tell twice.
Understanding 1-Bromopentane’s Role in Chemistry
1-Bromopentane, a five-carbon alkyl bromide, can easily catch someone’s attention for its strong, sharp odor and its use in laboratories. 1-Bromopentane shows up a lot in undergraduate organic labs, especially whenever someone needs to make longer carbon chains or run substitution reactions. The boiling point isn’t just a number for chemists. It matters for separating, purifying, and even transporting the stuff safely. In case you’re wondering, 1-bromopentane boils at about 130°C (266°F) at atmospheric pressure. That's quite a bit higher than pentane, its parent hydrocarbon, which boils at 36°C. The addition of a bromine atom makes a big difference.
Why the Boiling Point Matters Beyond the Classroom
Boiling point is one of those details I learned to look up before putting hands on any new solvent. It’s not just a fun fact. I once worked on a project involving organic synthesis and we needed to separate several different halogenated compounds. If you don’t know each boiling point, you risk either losing your product or potentially creating a hazardous environment in the lab. With 1-bromopentane, that 130°C spot means you need heating equipment that can reach and maintain that temperature, and proper ventilation isn’t optional. Overheating can degrade the compound—or worse, damage the glassware and put the whole lab at risk.
Every time you distill 1-bromopentane, its boiling point tells you exactly when to collect your product and when impurities start to leave with the vapor. Precision here translates to money and safety, especially at scale. Industrial setups depend on accurate boiling points for energy efficiency as well. Each extra degree above the real boiling point means more steam, more power, and higher energy bills. Getting the number right keeps processes cost-effective and less wasteful.
Supporting Information and Fact Checks
Looking at published sources like the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics or reputable chemical supplier data, the listed boiling point for 1-bromopentane consistently falls between 129-131°C. It's always smart to cross-reference this kind of physical data. I’ve seen plenty of confusion in student projects caused by copying from outdated or unverified web pages. Trusting only peer-reviewed sources or official data sheets created by chemical suppliers lines up with best practices in scientific work. That’s about more than just being precise—it protects everyone handling chemicals.
Improving Safety and Efficiency with the Right Knowledge
Companies and educational labs could do more to bring attention to these boiling points, especially when training new staff. Digital lab notebooks could link directly to up-to-date chemical data. Periodic safety refreshers focused on real-world mishaps might help keep facts like these top-of-mind. Emphasizing these straightforward numbers won’t cure every hazard, but accurate chemical property data acts like a seatbelt during a car ride—it’s a small thing that offers an outsized benefit.
Making chemical processes safer and more efficient doesn’t hinge on big, revolutionary breakthroughs every time. Sometimes, everything flows better when everyone just keeps reliable information—such as the 130°C boiling point of 1-bromopentane—in their toolkit and works with it every day.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 1-Bromopentane |
| Other names |
n-Pentyl bromide
Pentyl bromide Amyl bromide 1-Pentyl bromide |
| Pronunciation | /ˌwaɪˌbrəʊməʊˈpɛnteɪn/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 110-53-2 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1209243 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:35684 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL15640 |
| ChemSpider | 7275 |
| DrugBank | DB14006 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 13a6df0d-4f4e-4c9d-8b94-f45c555380b7 |
| EC Number | 203-691-9 |
| Gmelin Reference | 8786 |
| KEGG | C08362 |
| MeSH | D017355 |
| PubChem CID | 8057 |
| RTECS number | EK7175000 |
| UNII | Z9PD8RCTM6 |
| UN number | UN1266 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | 6ZH2M65T2X |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C5H11Br |
| Molar mass | 137.04 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colorless liquid |
| Odor | Mild odor |
| Density | 1.164 g/mL at 25 °C |
| Solubility in water | Insoluble in water |
| log P | 2.9 |
| Vapor pressure | 1.9 mmHg (20 °C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | 16.0 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 13.6 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -64.9e-6 cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.436 |
| Viscosity | 2.158 cP (20°C) |
| Dipole moment | 2.08 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 245.6 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | −51.1 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -3827.9 kJ/mol |
| Hazards | |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS07 |
| Pictograms | GHS02,GHS07 |
| Signal word | Warning |
| Hazard statements | H226, H315, H319, H335 |
| Precautionary statements | P210, P280, P305+P351+P338, P301+P312, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 1-1-0 |
| Flash point | 42 °C (closed cup) |
| Autoignition temperature | 205 °C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 (oral, rat): 2,660 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose) of 1-Bromopentane: **2,660 mg/kg (rat, oral)** |
| NIOSH | PA8575000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | PEL (Permissible Exposure Limit) for 1-Bromopentane: Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | 2–8°C |
| IDLH (Immediate danger) | 500 ppm |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Pentyl chloride
1-Iodopentane Pentyl fluoride 1-Chloropentane |
