2-Bromobutyric Acid: A Closer Look at Its Role in Science and Industry
Historical Development
The story of 2-bromobutyric acid winds back through the pages of chemical research, traceable to the older chapters of organic chemistry where halogenated carboxylic acids first captured attention. Chemists in the early 20th century recognized the potential of introducing bromine atoms into simple acid molecules, which led to experiments involving butyric acid and bromination techniques. Over decades, improvements in synthesis, purification, and analysis allowed for more detailed study by both academic labs and chemical manufacturers. With each generation of researcher, 2-bromobutyric acid earned a place as something more than a footnote—a compound that enabled deeper understanding of reactivity and stereochemistry. It is fair to say that modern access to 2-bromobutyric acid stems from both incremental and significant leaps in industrial halogenation processes, which changed the landscape for pharmaceuticals and materials chemists alike.
Product Overview
2-Bromobutyric acid presents as a specialty chemical that finds its way into pharmaceutical intermediates and fine chemical synthesis. Its appeal rests on the bromine atom positioned on the second carbon of the butyric acid backbone, creating a compound that shows significantly increased reactivity compared with its non-halogenated cousin. Common requests in laboratory catalogs and chemical supply houses indicate that 2-bromobutyric acid frequently appears in pharmaceutical libraries and is sought after for its role in producing chiral building blocks. Laboratories with a focus on chiral synthesis and asymmetric catalysis tend to keep this compound on hand, using it as a starting material for more complex molecules.
Physical & Chemical Properties
A crystal or colorless liquid at room temperature, 2-bromobutyric acid gives off a sharp, pungent odor familiar to those who have worked with low-molecular-weight organic acids. Its melting point and boiling range can vary depending on isomeric purity and production method, but the acid reliably dissolves in organic solvents like diethyl ether or chloroform, with a middling solubility in water. The bromine atom boosts molecular weight and alters reactivity so that certain substitution and elimination reactions occur faster compared to simple butyric acid. The presence of the carboxylic acid group means it behaves as a weak acid in aqueous solution, which allows for salt formation with various bases.
Technical Specifications & Labeling
Quality specifications in today’s market ask for 2-bromobutyric acid with purity upwards of 98%, with minimal water content and tightly controlled byproducts. Most suppliers provide analytical certificates listing GC and NMR trace data, as well as standard safety documentation. Bottle or drum labels feature hazard pictograms dictated by GHS guidelines—corrosive, toxic, and environmental hazard symbols stand out. Lot numbers and batch records provide traceability, supporting both regulatory compliance and research reproducibility. Standard packaging involves amber glass to limit light exposure, and tamper-resistant seals help reduce the potential for contamination.
Preparation Method
The classic approach to making 2-bromobutyric acid involves reacting butyric acid or a suitable butyrate salt with bromine or hydrogen bromide, often in the presence of a catalyst. Laboratories with safety controls can handle the exothermic addition, quenching side-products as needed to isolate the desired mono-brominated variant. Some specialty practitioners favor alternative routes like the Sandmeyer reaction, where primary amino acids undergo diazotization followed by bromine substitution, yielding chiral products that serve as precursors in higher-order syntheses. Each production route comes with waste-handling steps and purification challenges, particularly when bromination threatens to overshoot or generate mixtures of isomers.
Chemical Reactions & Modifications
The value of 2-bromobutyric acid in the laboratory stems from its willingness to take part in substitution, elimination, and condensation reactions. The bromo group combined with the carboxylic acid provides a point of entry for nucleophilic substitution, giving chemists access to a broad menu of derivatives, including esters, amides, and more elaborate heterocycles. For researchers seeking chiral drugs or agrochemicals, the enantiomerically pure form lets them introduce specific stereochemistry at a critical step, often dictating the biological profile of the downstream products. Dehydrohalogenation turns the compound into crotonic acid derivatives, and reduction or coupling methods allow incorporation into peptide analogues or non-natural amino acids.
Synonyms & Product Names
A chemical like 2-bromobutyric acid picks up a handful of alternative names in the literature and on supplier catalogs: alpha-bromobutyric acid, DL-2-bromobutyric acid, and rac-2-bromobutyric acid each refer to close relatives or different purity grades. On the global stage, traders and customs officials might assign it a UN number or refer to it by its systematic IUPAC name, 2-bromobutanoic acid, making it easy to track through legal and regulatory systems. Product branding sometimes emphasizes chiral purity or manufacturing provenance, especially when pharmaceutical grade is in demand.
Safety & Operational Standards
Anyone working with 2-bromobutyric acid knows the need for vigilance. This compound can irritate skin and eyes, and inhalation of its vapors or contact with mucous membranes causes serious harm. Robust safety protocols—chemical fume hoods, double-layered gloves, protective eyewear—remain non-negotiable in labs and manufacturing suites handling brominated acids. In my time supervising undergraduate organic chemistry, strict adherence to MSDS guidelines proved essential, especially during scale-up or waste disposal. Emergency showers and eye-wash stations sat within arm’s reach, a silent reminder that this compound, useful as it is, demands respect. Incident response plans must cover accidental releases, as entry into drains or soil can lead to regulatory headaches and potential environmental harm.
Application Area
Pharmaceutical chemists reach for 2-bromobutyric acid when making amino acid analogues and as a chiral auxiliary in drug development. It impacts the assembly of drugs used to treat neurological disorders, muscle relaxants, and even certain anti-epileptic therapies. Beyond pharma, this compound shows up in agricultural research, where new pesticide molecules require a core structure that can be selectively modified. Biochemists experimenting with enzyme inhibitors or synthetic biology tools occasionally rely on 2-bromobutyric acid as a blocking group or intermediate. Even in materials science, its unique blend of reactivity and structural rigidity adds functionality to polymers and specialty blends.
Research & Development
Recent years have seen steady investment in greener synthesis methods, with academic and industrial labs searching for routes that use less hazardous reagents and generate fewer byproducts. My own reading of the literature shows a trend toward in situ bromination techniques that capture excess bromine and recycle solvents, reducing both cost and footprint. Enantioselective catalysis attracted attention, as pharmaceutical regulations pushed for single-isomer drugs. Scientists in the field continue to refine crystallization protocols, making it easier to prepare and characterize both racemic and optically pure samples. Collaborative work involving universities, startups, and legacy producers keeps delivering ways to make 2-bromobutyric acid cleaner, faster, and with higher margins.
Toxicity Research
Some of the earliest toxicity reports flagged that 2-bromobutyric acid produces harmful effects in mammals at both the cellular and system level. It disrupts metabolic pathways, interfering with enzymes involved in carboxylic acid metabolism, and researchers observed neurological symptoms in animal models exposed to high doses over time. Ongoing studies monitor exposure limits, and animal data help inform workplace safety regulations. Environmental scientists have examined its fate after release from manufacturing sites, noting that the compound’s stability means it lingers longer in water and soil compared to non-halogenated acids. Having overseen risk assessments for chemical inventory audits, I learned that 2-bromobutyric acid requires the same diligence as other hazardous organic chemicals: controlled storage, explicit labeling, and frequent review of accident protocols.
Future Prospects
Looking forward, opportunities for 2-bromobutyric acid continue to emerge at the intersection of synthetic innovation, medicinal chemistry, and environmental responsibility. Green chemistry movements drive new process design, and pressure from regulatory agencies encourages the industry to shift toward safer bromination techniques and closed-loop systems. Advances in asymmetric synthesis—powered by computer modeling and high-throughput screening—have already started to unlock novel chiral versions tailored for specific receptor targets. Startups continue to look for biological alternatives, engineering enzymes that bring selectivity and specificity to bromination, offering a path out of traditional hazardous waste streams. 2-bromobutyric acid’s future likely holds wider application in complex molecule assembly, but only where its makers and users rise to the challenges of process safety and stewardship of hazardous materials.
The Chemical at a Glance
Most people outside chemistry labs rarely hear about 2-Bromobutyric acid. This compound, built on a four-carbon backbone with a bromine atom added, plays a surprisingly important role in research and development. A lot of what's possible in biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, and chemical synthesis has roots in chemicals like this—small, practical, and capable of changing the way larger molecules behave.
Utility in Pharmaceutical Research
Plenty of today's life-saving drugs start as simple building blocks. 2-Bromobutyric acid stands out here—chemists use it when building molecules that mimic natural compounds in the body. Its structure allows it to fit into chemical reactions that can produce anticonvulsants or drugs tailored for nervous system disorders. For example, when synthesizing compounds like Levetiracetam or Brivaracetam, pharmaceutical teams often incorporate molecules derived from 2-Bromobutyric acid. This helps them create medications that improve lives for people living with epilepsy and other neurological conditions.
Current clinical research leans into chirality—a property where molecules can exist in forms like left and right hands. The differences between these "enantiomers" can mean the world for biological activity. 2-Bromobutyric acid, due to the way it's constructed, helps researchers build both forms. They fine-tune each step, measuring which version works best or poses fewer risks.
Role in Chemical Synthesis
Scientists love versatility, and this acid delivers. In organic chemistry, it works well as a cornerstone for making more complex molecules. That bromine atom sits in the right spot to set off chain reactions, turning it into a "starting material" for other important chemicals: amino acids, pharmaceuticals, and agrochemicals.
I've seen first-hand, in lab projects, how quickly a small tweak—like swapping in 2-Bromobutyric acid—can open doors to new syntheses. Students and professionals both benefit from this access, leading to more efficient experiments and fewer wasted resources. Cost savings mean research dollars stretch further, and new products reach the market faster.
Industrial and Specialty Applications
The reach of 2-Bromobutyric acid doesn't stop at the lab bench. Manufacturers use it to make specialty chemicals for coatings, plastics, and solvents. Many specialty polymers require monomers made through processes that use brominated intermediates. In these cases, the acid acts as a feedstock that’s converted step-by-step into a finished product.
Regulations and safety are big topics here. Anyone working with this acid needs proper handling protocols. Protective equipment reduces health risks, and training minimizes mistakes. This attention to detail keeps workers safe and products uncontaminated.
Moving Forward
Companies across the globe continue searching for better, safer, and more sustainable chemical processes. 2-Bromobutyric acid might seem a small piece of the puzzle, but it proves crucial in the hands of a skilled chemist. Its use in drug discovery, chemical synthesis, and manufacturing shows the many ways thoughtful chemistry shapes our world. Researchers and industry partners benefit from open collaboration and a sharp eye on safety as they push these fields ahead.
Breaking Down the Basics
Chemistry often looks like a mix of numbers and letters, but that’s how scientists make sense of the building blocks of everything. With 2-bromobutyric acid, the chemical formula is C4H7BrO2. Getting this formula correct is the start of understanding what the molecule can do, how it could react, or why it might raise red flags in a lab or industry setting. Every element in this formula serves a purpose and hints at how the molecule fits into larger chemical reactions.
Where Chemistry Meets Practical Use
I’ve seen 2-bromobutyric acid pop up in pharmaceutical research and sometimes in organic synthesis labs that work on designing new drugs. Chemists appreciate molecules like this because the bromine atom opens up pathways for further modifications. That kind of flexibility helps to build up more complex or biologically active compounds. For people working on the next class of antibiotics or specialty materials, skipping over the basic composition would just lead to trouble down the road—wrong formulas have a way of derailing even the most promising projects.
Why Formula Accuracy Shouldn’t Be Overlooked
I’ve watched students and professionals alike have a project’s results questioned because a formula or structure didn’t match up. The formula C4H7BrO2 tells us there are four carbons, seven hydrogens, one bromine, and two oxygens involved. Toss in an extra hydrogen by mistake, and suddenly the molecule isn’t the same anymore. The reactions change. Safety moves to the front of the line, too. Brominated compounds often carry risks, so even a small mix-up with formula details could endanger the whole lab team or mess up disposal plans. That’s not just inconvenient; it’s a real hazard.
Supporting Safety and Innovation
Chemists keep a sharp eye on their formulas because laws about chemical manufacturing mean regulators expect complete accuracy. Mistakes can run up costs or slow down research for months. A misplaced atom in the formula of 2-bromobutyric acid means lost time trying to figure out what went wrong. More than that, sharing inaccurate information can lead to bad science, which can waste funding and slow progress for those counting on reliable results. Just getting the formula right supports not only innovation but also community trust in scientific outcomes.
Better Practices for Handling Chemicals Like 2-Bromobutyric Acid
In my lab work, double-checking every line of a chemical’s formula is just routine. You cross-reference material safety data sheets, compare supplier certificates, and even work through the structure by hand. There’s no time saved by cutting corners because errors often spiral into bigger problems. Software tools now flag suspicious inconsistencies, and open collaboration helps catch small mistakes early, but nothing replaces that careful review by someone who knows what they’re looking at.
Responsible Chemistry Benefits Everyone
Simple tasks, like confirming the formula for 2-bromobutyric acid, build a foundation for deeper work in medicine, industry, and research. That’s how the field keeps moving forward—strong on basics, careful about details, and alert to the ripple effect one error can have on a much bigger system.
Why Storage Gets Overlooked, and Why It Shouldn’t
Nobody sets out hoping for a chemical mishap, but too often, safe storage slides down the list of priorities. In my own experience teaching undergraduate labs, I saw the hazards of skipping proper storage firsthand—corroded shelves, mystery fumes, labels peeling off bottles, the kind of issues that can turn a regular workday into a scramble for safety showers and cleanup kits. 2-Bromobutyric acid might not sound like the most dangerous material on the shelf, but it brings its own risks. Recognizing those risks starts by understanding what we're dealing with.
The Risks Lurking in the Bottle
2-Bromobutyric acid hits two categories: corrosive and moderately volatile. It doesn’t take much air exposure before the sharp, biting odor gives away its acidity, nor much time before metal caps start turning color from corrosion. And even if the bottle cap stays tight, any accidental spill on a countertop will etch a mark—and that mark isn’t just cosmetic. Chemical burns from acids can build quickly, and vapors cause issues for anyone with allergies or asthma.
Temperature and Light: The Enemies of Stability
Temperature swings speed up decomposition. Heat can drive off vapors, especially in crowded storerooms with no ventilation. I once worked in a storage space with no cooling, and acids like this one grew more pungent every summer, breaking down just from sitting on the shelf. Light can also degrade some brominated compounds, leading to less predictable chemistry when you actually want to use them.
Physical Storage: Lessons Learned the Hard Way
Glass wins over metal or plastic for bottles. Stories from older chemists paint a clear picture: acids eat through metal caps, and plastics sometimes warp or crack, leaking material onto shelves. Always stick with amber glass if you can get it—the color reduces light exposure and the tight glass stoppers or PTFE-lined caps keep vapors inside.
Never put strong acids near bases or oxidizers. Once I saw a shared shelf where a bottle of 2-bromobutyric acid sat next to ammonium hydroxide. Luckily, nothing spilled, but that’s a chemical burn just waiting to happen. Separate corrosives into their own bin or cabinet, preferably one labeled and ventilated. I’ve been called stickler for these habits, but the moment a bottle leaks, everyone appreciates a safety-first approach.
Moisture and Air: Invisible Triggers
Leave a cap loose, and you’ll find white crystals around the rim in no time—evidence that water in air reacts with the acid, changing it over time. Even trace moisture kicks off these reactions. Desiccators or tightly sealed cabinets help, especially in humid climates. One rainy season in my lab, we lost bottles worth hundreds of dollars to simple carelessness—a few afternoons with the storage doors propped open, and the acid had eaten its way out.
Label Everything. Seriously.
Labels matter. A faded tag can mean grabbing the wrong material or missing an expiration date. Use waterproof markers, and keep a log of purchase and open dates. I discovered an ancient, unmarked acid bottle in a university storeroom—no one wanted to open it, because nobody knew what it was. Avoid that kind of laboratory archeology.
Real Solutions for Real People
Daily habits make the difference. Keep acids like 2-bromobutyric acid in cool, dark, dry places with good air turnover. Use proper containers, check for leaks, separate chemical families. Invest in a few plastic bins, some new labels, and proper gloves. Emergencies love neglect—giving storage routines some thought keeps surprises to a minimum. That’s not paranoia; it’s respect for chemistry’s power, even in a simple bottle on a lab shelf.
Looking Closer at 2-Bromobutyric Acid
2-Bromobutyric acid shows up in labs and chemical syntheses as a specialized compound. Even though most people never run into it at the grocery store, researchers and students might find it on a shelf near other reagents. I remember the first time I worked with it during a university-organic chemistry project. The first thing the instructor stressed wasn’t its usefulness, but its safety risks.
What Makes 2-Bromobutyric Acid Concerning?
This chemical doesn’t play around. Its chemical structure lets it slip through skin and membranes a bit more easily than you might expect. People who have handled it without gloves have reported unusual tingling or burning. The acid nature means it can corrode skin, but the bromine atom adds an extra hazard—similar to other alkyl halides, which are infamous for being a toxicity risk. When the body absorbs it, 2-bromobutyric acid turns into byproducts that can damage cells.
It has a strong smell, and inhaling its vapors can irritate the respiratory tract. More importantly, animal studies reveal that small doses can cause convulsions, muscle weakness, and difficulty breathing. Although there are no large-scale studies on its effects in humans, the signs point to real risks. Brominated compounds as a group have drawn the attention of researchers and regulators because they interact with enzymes inside the body.
Lab Safety Is Non-Negotiable
Many good chemists have learned the hard way that accidents happen quickly and often due to overconfidence. Goggles and gloves offer the first line of defense, but relying on safety data sheets often means encountering long words and abstract warnings. What’s missing is an understanding of what can quickly go wrong.
Inhaling a small amount won’t always land someone in the hospital, but repeated exposure stacks the odds against your lungs and liver. Getting it on the skin can cause a rash or chemical burn. Forgetting to use a fume hood leaves that harsh odor in the air much longer than anyone would like. In my experience, once someone gets a headache or irritated eyes, no lecture needs repeating.
Regulatory Attention
Regulations treat 2-bromobutyric acid with respect. The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) labels it as corrosive and acutely toxic through multiple exposure routes. The European Union’s REACH regulations include it in lists that demand handling precautions. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency points out significant environmental persistence for some brominated compounds. These rules were shaped by accidents and research showing clear harm.
Safer Practices and Alternatives
Anyone working with this substance must keep safety routines solid. Closed systems, double-checking ventilation, and having neutralizing agents nearby help block harm. Teams should receive training on emergency procedures. In teaching labs, substituting less hazardous acids lowers risk; newer green chemistry protocols put pressure on reducing reliance on toxic brominated chemicals overall.
Chemical research marches forward, but health deserves priority. Recognizing the risks tied to each bottle in the cabinet shifts the mindset from reacting to preparing. Sometimes that means picking up the safety glasses before the pipette, or swapping out a hazardous compound before opening the shipping box.
What Folks Seek in 2-Bromobutyric Acid
2-Bromobutyric acid gets attention from chemists and researchers. This compound often plays a role in pharmaceutical work and chemical experiments, especially when someone needs that extra bromine atom to get a reaction moving. It doesn’t end up on grocery shelves, but it does wind up in lab work, making its quality matter just as much as its chemical structure.
The Conversation About Purity
Anybody handling 2-bromobutyric acid can tell the difference between material that meets research standards and product not suitable for precise applications. The usual choices for purity range from technical grade to high-purity levels used in pharmaceuticals—pretty common across specialty chemicals. Most suppliers quote purity percentages. For research and lab work, 98% or better usually becomes the standard. Pharmaceutical production or sensitive organic syntheses often call for 99% and above. I’ve noticed the premium for that extra “9” on the label climbs steeply, but in synthesizing a key intermediate, there’s little room for compromise since impurities can change the whole outcome downstream.
How Suppliers List Grades
It’s common to see technical, laboratory, and pharmaceutical (sometimes called “reagent” or “analytical”) grades in chemical catalogs. Technical grade often sits at the lower end—workable for industrial or pilot-scale uses, but too messy for tight controls. Laboratory grade proves solid for everyday experiments unless someone is working right at the detection limit. Analytical grade or pharmaceutical grade goes through more thorough quality checks, ensuring not just higher purity but also stricter handling around trace metal and solvent content.
Pitfalls With Impurities
I’ve been burned by batches that claimed high purity but came with unknown residual solvents or moisture content. Remaining traces of water or organic solvents can cause headaches, particularly in moisture-sensitive steps. Salts, leftover reagents, and side-products can sneak in, affecting yields or leading to frustrating reproducibility issues. Certificates of Analysis come in handy, but I learned early to trust, then verify—running a quick NMR or GC-MS doesn’t take much effort and heads off surprises later.
Why This Matters for Safety
High-purity 2-bromobutyric acid helps cut down on lab hazards. Lower grades sometimes include contamination by things you wouldn’t want near your glassware. Inconsistent purity also puts workers at risk if unexpected byproducts become volatilized or react in unexpected ways. Clean chemicals make safe handling easier and cuts down on the “what went wrong?” guesswork after something triggers the building air monitors.
What Buyers Should Ask For
Clarifying the intended use makes the buying process more transparent. If a supplier can’t give a fresh COA showing assay results, trace elements, and water content, that’s an immediate red flag. I look for suppliers who disclose manufacture and storage conditions. Stability in storage is no small issue with sensitive organics. Some sellers use fresh batches, while others rely on warehoused material—knowing which I’m getting affects whether I order in bulk or in smaller, fresh quantities.
Building on E-E-A-T Values
Anybody ordering or working with 2-bromobutyric acid should recognize the importance of experience, accurate knowledge, and clean quality checks. Relying on trusted sources, updating procedures as regulations and scientific standards improve, and asking sharp questions promotes reliability and better results. Professional skepticism and follow-through keep mistakes from piling up and give the lab crew confidence in every project, large or small.
| Names | |
| Preferred IUPAC name | 2-Bromobutanoic acid |
| Other names |
2-Bromobutanoic acid
alpha-Bromobutyric acid 2-Bromo-n-butyric acid |
| Pronunciation | /tuː-broʊ.moʊ.bjuːˈtɪr.ɪk ˈæs.ɪd/ |
| Identifiers | |
| CAS Number | 80-58-0 |
| Beilstein Reference | 1209375 |
| ChEBI | CHEBI:36675 |
| ChEMBL | CHEMBL49036 |
| ChemSpider | 7437 |
| DrugBank | DB08302 |
| ECHA InfoCard | 03b6e1e8-e6a7-4abe-8e3e-0d29c0305e97 |
| EC Number | 211-445-5 |
| Gmelin Reference | 5697 |
| KEGG | C01077 |
| MeSH | D001970 |
| PubChem CID | 78497 |
| RTECS number | EO1575000 |
| UNII | 2K464026V9 |
| UN number | UN3261 |
| CompTox Dashboard (EPA) | `DTXSID2040147` |
| Properties | |
| Chemical formula | C4H7BrO2 |
| Molar mass | 166.01 g/mol |
| Appearance | Colorless to yellow liquid |
| Odor | Unpleasant |
| Density | 1.422 g/cm³ |
| Solubility in water | soluble |
| log P | 0.97 |
| Vapor pressure | 0.0055 mmHg (25°C) |
| Acidity (pKa) | 2.94 |
| Basicity (pKb) | 1.55 |
| Magnetic susceptibility (χ) | -63.5·10⁻⁶ cm³/mol |
| Refractive index (nD) | 1.464 |
| Viscosity | 1.727 mPa·s (20°C) |
| Dipole moment | 2.1736 D |
| Thermochemistry | |
| Std molar entropy (S⦵298) | 309.6 J·mol⁻¹·K⁻¹ |
| Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298) | –566.6 kJ/mol |
| Std enthalpy of combustion (ΔcH⦵298) | -1143.6 kJ/mol |
| Pharmacology | |
| ATC code | A16AA20 |
| Hazards | |
| Main hazards | Harmful if swallowed. Causes skin irritation. Causes serious eye irritation. May cause respiratory irritation. |
| GHS labelling | GHS02, GHS05, GHS07 |
| Pictograms | GHS07 |
| Signal word | Danger |
| Hazard statements | H302, H315, H319, H335 |
| Precautionary statements | P261, P264, P271, P273, P280, P301+P312, P302+P352, P305+P351+P338, P330, P337+P313, P362+P364, P501 |
| NFPA 704 (fire diamond) | 2-2-0 |
| Flash point | 132°C |
| Autoignition temperature | 170°C |
| Lethal dose or concentration | LD50 oral rat 1470 mg/kg |
| LD50 (median dose) | LD50 (median dose): Oral rat 1550 mg/kg |
| NIOSH | NM3675000 |
| PEL (Permissible) | Not established |
| REL (Recommended) | 20 - 25 |
| Related compounds | |
| Related compounds |
Butyric acid
2-Chlorobutyric acid 2-Iodobutyric acid 2-Bromopropionic acid 3-Bromobutyric acid |
