Bromoacetic Acid: Chemical Profile, Properties, and Safety Insights

What is Bromoacetic Acid?

Bromoacetic acid appears as a colorless to light yellow solid or powder with a sharp, irritating smell. You find it under other forms like flakes, crystalline pearls, or sometimes even as a viscous liquid, depending on temperature and handling. This chemical, with a molecular formula of C2H3BrO2, belongs to the family of haloacetic acids. The compound comes from acetic acid, but swaps a hydrogen atom for a bromine atom, giving it a unique set of abilities and hazards. Its molecular structure is simple—a two-carbon backbone, one with a bromine attached and both supporting a carboxyl group that delivers strong acid behavior.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Bromoacetic acid brings more than just a name—specific gravity hovers around 2.0 (water at 1), so it feels heavy in the hand for its size. It melts at about 49°C, so room mirrors your climate. Heat it a bit and it moves into a clear, sometimes slightly yellow, liquid. In solid form, crystals glint under good light, often sticking together in clumps. Think of the powder as clumpy rather than like flour and you'll get a sense of it. Bromoacetic acid dissolves well in water, less so in solvents like chloroform or ether, but it pushes its acidity through any solution. Handling this material hits your nose fast: the pungent odor warns you to keep your distance.

Specifications and Material Forms

You come across this chemical under several guises. Solid or crystalline flake forms carry weight in most labs, while pearls and powder allow dosing in manufacturing. Some processes favor pre-made solutions, often aqueous, to avoid the risks of dust or vapor exposure. Usually, manufacturers provide product with a purity upwards of 98%. Material safety data sheets flag the hazards associated with every form; they outline density, melting point, and molecular weight (about 138.95 g/mol) as baseline facts.

Applications and Raw Material Use

Industries call on bromoacetic acid as a raw material to make pharmaceuticals, dyes, and agrochemicals. Chemists know it for its role as an alkylating agent—a useful feature for organic synthesis, especially when building molecules layer by layer. Its straightforward structure makes it a sort of building block in the chemical world. Farmers never see it in the field, but some crop protection chemicals rely on its chemistry. Drug developers depend on its reactivity for starting complex syntheses.

HS Code and Regulatory Aspects

For shipping and customs, bromoacetic acid falls under HS Code 2915900090, which covers a range of acetic acid derivatives. This code matters because global trade needs clear identifiers due to the chemical’s hazardous nature and strict transport regulations.

Hazards, Safety, and Storage

You put on gloves before opening a container; goggles and a face shield come next. Skin burns quickly with contact, and vapors can blister your nose and throat. It attacks mucous membranes, and even brief whiffs irritate the lungs and eyes. This chemical ranks high in toxicity: swallowing or inhaling it risks serious harm, sometimes fatal in high doses. Short-term effects—cough, sore throat, nausea—often signal worse to come. Chronic exposure can sensitize skin or airways, leading to strong allergic reactions after repeat contact. Safe storage means cool, dry, well-ventilated areas, with clear hazardous labeling to avoid accidents. Spill response uses containment, neutralization, and protective gear. Industry regulations demand strict reporting of incidents, tracking through the supply chain, and thorough labeling, right down to the hazard pictograms.

Environmental Impact

Waterways take a hit from accidental releases. Bromoacetic acid doesn’t stick around long in the environment; it breaks down, but in the process, it harms aquatic life and disrupts ecosystems, even at low concentrations. Chemists designing greener syntheses now seek alternatives, or at least tighter leak prevention and safer waste handling. Proper neutralization of waste, use of carbon filters, and secondary containment tanks have all helped lessen chemical spill risks in modern operations.

Molecular Perspective: Why Structure Matters

Looking at the molecular level, every atom counts. The strong electron-pulling bromine atom makes it a reactive partner in substitution reactions, and the carboxyl group means it behaves almost like a classic acid in water. This mixed personality—acid and halogen compound—gives it a stable shelf life when stored right but means it crashes quickly with the wrong chemical partner. The small molecule slips through membranes, so even trace amounts demand respect.

Solutions and Safer Use

Basic chemical safety still works best: wear protective equipment, work in fume hoods, keep spill kits ready, and lean on training to reduce risk. Some labs use miniature, enclosed dosing tools to limit exposure. Manufacturers have moved toward better warning labels and sealed containers to cut down on accidents. Waste disposal routines stress full neutralization—common practice now uses sodium thiosulfate or similar agents. Any workplace with bromoacetic acid, whether small startup or big plant, sets strict inventory controls, tracks every bit in and out, and schedules regular refresher courses on hazardous material handling. If you’re serious about safety—storing only what you need, never leaving it uncapped, labeling containers immediately—you’re already ahead of the risks.