Bromoform (CHEM001535)

Bromoform (CHBr3) is a brominated organic solvent, pale yellow liquid at room temperature, with a high refractive index, very high density, and sweet odor is similar to that of chloroform. It is a trihalomethane, and is one of the four haloforms, the others being fluoroform, chloroform, and iodoform. Bromoform can be prepared by the haloform reaction using acetone and sodium hypobromite, by the electrolysis of potassium bromide in ethanol, or by treating chloroform with aluminum bromide. Most of the bromoform that enters the environment is formed as disinfection byproducts known as the trihalomethanes when chlorine is added to drinking water or swimming pools to kill bacteria. In the past, it was used as a solvent, sedative and flame retardant, but now it is mainly used as a laboratory reagent. Bromine is a halogen element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. Diatomic bromine does not occur naturally, but bromine salts can be found in crustal rock. (3, 6)