Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate: Description, Characteristics, and Safe Handling

What is Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate?

Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate shows up in labs and industrial sites as a chemical raw material built for specialized synthesis. It carries the molecular formula C6H11BrO2 and delivers a mix of reactivity and selective application. Chemists rely on it for constructing molecules with specific configurations, especially when bromine’s unique properties must slide into a carbon chain. The substance presents as either a clear liquid or sometimes a slightly yellow shade—never odorless but rather with a smell that signals its organic acid roots. Researchers and production managers often treat it with both respect and caution because its reactive bromine atom brings both versatility and risk.

Physical Properties

Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate has its own set of physical identifiers. Specific gravity holds at roughly 1.38 g/cm³ at 25°C, heavier than water and typical solvents. The liquid form flows well, but, like many alkyl bromides, it sits just above freezing temperatures, with a melting point near -40°C and a boiling point cresting around 196-198°C. That range puts it among stable organic esters, not prone to fast evaporation or easy decomposition without a proper trigger. Its density makes handling in bulk more demanding, requiring solid awareness when measuring by volume or weight. As a result, the flask or drum always feels heavier than expected. Unlike some vulgar powders or crystals used in synthesis, Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate’s consistency calls for adapters and seals, especially if a leak could irritate airways or skin.

Chemical Structure

Look at its structure—an ethyl ester skeleton, a four-carbon butyrate chain, a bromine atom clinging to the second carbon. This setup shapes the molecule’s unpredictability and reactivity. The bromine group? It stands out for chemists searching for alkylation or substitution reactions. That unique position at C-2 directs how the molecule reacts in forming pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and flavor intermediates. This isn’t just theory—real chemists in the lab choose this molecule when they want selectivity, so other esters or halides just do not serve. Familiarity with its structure means recognizing how it can transform quickly under heat, light, or strong nucleophiles. To work with Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate is to respect how structure shapes everything from its smell to its risk profile.

Product Specifications and HS Code

Manufacturers ship Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate under strict purity standards, usually not less than 98%. Impurities—free acids, leftover alcohols, and water—cannot hide in a batch worth selling. Buyers and traders look for HS Code 2915900090, a universal identifier that sorts it into the world trade system as a carboxylic acid derivative. Packing and transport fall under guidelines that account for flammability, toxicity, and contamination risk. Every drum, barrel, or bottle typically rolls out with certificates declaring batch integrity, impurity thresholds, and precise volume delivered at the listed density. It’s not enough to trust appearance alone. Buyers test and retest for spec sheets, especially in territories with tight customs or regulatory clout.

Safe, Hazardous, and Harmful Properties

There’s no escaping the hazards. Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate acts as a skin and eye irritant, even in small accidental splashes or vapors. Prolonged skin exposure brings redness, sometimes even chemical burns, while inhalation stings the nose and throat, with coughing or headaches a regular side effect. This isn’t just a guess—safety data sheets confirm these experiences, showing phrases like “Harmful if swallowed” and “Irritating to eyes, respiratory system, and skin.” The material carries a flash point near 90°C, so fire danger is real in the wrong conditions. Nobody who’s worked with reactive halides doubts the need for gloves, ventilation, and protective goggles. In case of a spill, neutralizing and containing the substance with proper absorbents keeps both people and waterways safer. Safe storage keeps drums sealed, away from incompatible chemicals and sources of ignition.

Forms and Packaging

Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate rarely arrives as a solid, crystal, powder, or flakes. Its melting and boiling behavior keeps it in clear, mobile liquid state even when temperatures dip low. Small-scale users spot it in amber glass or fluorinated polyethylene bottles, volumes ranging from 100 milliliters up to five liters, always with leakproof caps and tamper seals. Bulk handlers see the material in stainless steel or plastic drums, sometimes in lined cans to prevent corrosion or leaking bromine compounds. Labels note its molecular formula and hazard statements up front, not buried in fine print. Logistics teams prioritize secondary containments for larger shipments—it doesn’t just take up shelf space, it requires planning and special handling.

Uses as Raw Material and Industrial Relevance

Ethyl-2-Bromo Butyrate shows its value as a building block in pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis. Complex medicines and crop protection agents often trace development lines back to compounds like this, where its ability to introduce a bromo group proves central. Lab techs and process engineers talk about how it slides seamlessly into reaction chains, giving products with desired chirality or structural features that matter for function. Outside medicinal uses, makers of flavor and fragrance intermediates look to this molecule for its transforming ability. This does not mean a lack of concern—manufacturers and labs remain aware of its environmental impact, following strict discharge and waste protocols. I’ve seen firsthand the focus on using closed systems to limit both staff exposure and emissions during processing.

Alternatives, Improvements, and Safety Solutions

Concerns over hazardous properties make substitution a hot topic for green chemistry groups. Some labs explore less brominated or non-halogenated analogues, cutting down on exposure risks and downstream toxicity. Stricter regulations on hazardous transport drive companies to adopt automatic liquid handling and in-line monitoring, shrinking accident rates and cleanup costs. Packing with absorbent inert liners can catch small leaks before they cause wider trouble. Engineers work on better scrubber systems in exhaust hoods, trapping fumes before they reach populated airspaces. Continuous monitoring of storage temperature and pressure helps, since a rogue warm day can raise pressure in tanks more than expected. Watching colleagues trade tips and stories about safe handling in the field, I’d say no chemical, no matter how familiar, gets a pass with the right respect for both people and place.