4-Bromotoluene: Key Facts, Physical Properties, and Safety Details

What is 4-Bromotoluene?

4-Bromotoluene stands out as an aromatic organic chemical known for its single bromine atom at the para position of a methyl-substituted benzene ring. Its molecular formula reads C7H7Br and features a molecular weight of 171.04 g/mol. Trade circles and laboratory users often choose it for roles as an intermediate in pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and dye synthesis. Its chemical structure, which combines bromine and toluene, influences both its reactivity and its value as a raw material for complex organic transformations.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Physical form shifts with temperature: 4-Bromotoluene appears as either a crystalline solid or a colorless liquid slightly above room temperature. It melts near 27°C and boils around 184°C, which puts it in a category that handles easy phase transitions within routine industrial handling. The density hovers at 1.397 g/cm³ at 25°C, making it denser than water, and this appeals in solvent extraction steps. Because it is nearly insoluble in water but freely soluble in organic solvents like ethanol, diethyl ether, and chloroform, 4-Bromotoluene plays a role in both preparative chemistry and reaction optimization.

In practical use, you often find this material offered as clear crystals, white flakes, and refined powders. Purity levels reflect on both price and application, with most suppliers listing technical specifications above 99% purity. This suits sensitive downstream reactions where impurities jeopardize yield or product safety. Some suppliers ship it as solid pearls or as a stabilized solution, and those details depend on production scale and storage planning.

Product Grades, HS Code, and Industrial Sourcing

Trade logistics matter. Products ship under the Harmonized System (HS) Code 29036990, a designation that links to halogenated derivatives of aromatic hydrocarbons. Customs officers and compliance teams lean on this identifier to track international shipments and enforce national regulatory controls. Laboratory procurement teams should always check batch analysis documents, specifications, and certificates of analysis to avoid problems in both quality control and safety audits.

Bulk purchasing usually happens through chemical suppliers specializing in hazardous and specialty materials. Buyers should consider drum size, package integrity, and documentation. Packaging solutions can include glass bottles for research labs, polyethylene drums or steel containers for higher volumes. Whether picked up as a liquid or a shell-stable solid crystal, shelf life and reactivity demand proper control of moisture and temperature.

Safety, Hazards, and Precautions

4-Bromotoluene does not belong to the most hazardous organic compounds, but direct handling without care presents its own set of challenges. The compound releases vapors with mild, sweet, often irritating odor. It acts as a moderate eye and skin irritant, and excessive inhalation causes headaches or respiratory discomfort. Direct skin contact sometimes leads to redness and dryness. Standard industrial hygiene practices—gloves, safety spectacles, and local exhaust ventilation—go a long way to reduce these hazards. In my own lab work, chemical-resistant gloves and regular handwashing after handling have proven crucial to preventing repeated minor irritation. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) assign this substance risk codes pointing to irritative effects and possible aquatic toxicity, so waste disposal must follow environmental guidelines.

Fire risk comes into play since vapors above its boiling point can ignite with a suitable ignition source. Dry powder, carbon dioxide, or foam extinguishers offer the right response since direct water jetting only spreads contamination. Laboratory staff learn quickly that work with halogenated compounds demands proper training in spill containment and emergency protocols. 4-Bromotoluene does not serve as an acute systemic poison, but it can pose longer-term environmental effects if released without care. Spent reagents or product residues join organic waste streams, and compliance audits always monitor for improper discharge in effluent water.

Applications: Chemical Building Block in Synthesis

In organic chemistry circles, 4-Bromotoluene brings value as a versatile coupling partner. Reactions like Suzuki-Miyaura or Heck coupling depend on readily available haloarenes to construct biaryl or styrene derivatives, and the para orientation of the methyl group offers unique substitution pathways for customized molecule construction. Pharmaceutical researchers choose this compound for medicinal chemistry projects because it tolerates varied functional group transformations, even under catalytic or high-temperature conditions. My early experience synthesizing biphenyl building blocks confirmed how small tweaks in bromotoluene’s purity altered reaction rates and product purity—something buyers need to keep in mind when sourcing reagents at larger scale.

Outside the lab, chemical manufacturers depend on 4-Bromotoluene as a source material to generate aromatic amines, nitro compounds, or sulfonic acids. Agrochemical researchers and dye specialists chase similar utility, leveraging its reactivity to build ingredients for herbicides, fluorescence agents, and specialty polymers. Each step imposes demands on raw material traceability, as side-products introduce regulatory and patent-related complexities.

Material Handling, Storage, and Environmental Impact

Warehouse environments must match the storage guidelines for volatile, halogenated organics. Containers store best in cool, well-ventilated, dry rooms far from incompatible chemicals such as strong oxidizers. Explosive mixtures develop above certain temperature thresholds, and so regular stock checks and properly labeled inventory prevent both safety risks and waste. Leaks picked up during drum movement call for immediate containment using inert absorbent materials—mineral sand or commercial spill pillows usually work effectively.

I have observed that routine housekeeping—decontaminating benchtops, segregating waste, and updating safety signage—sets apart facilities with the fewest chemical incidents. Besides worker safety, the drive for greener chemistry presses researchers and producers to limit the release of brominated organics. Solutions that combine safer handling, thorough documentation, and investment in recovery or recycling technology answer ongoing calls for sustainable production. Auditors scrutinize how labs and factories source, use, and dispose of 4-Bromotoluene, rewarding those who demonstrate well-documented hazard management and environmentally respectful protocols.

Summary Specifications: Quick Reference

Product Name: 4-Bromotoluene
Molecular Formula: C7H7Br
Molecular Weight: 171.04 g/mol
CAS No.: 106-38-7
HS Code: 29036990
Form: Crystalline solid, flakes, powder, or clear liquid (temperature-dependent)
Color: White or colorless
Melting Point: 27°C
Boiling Point: 184°C
Density: 1.397 g/cm³ (25°C)
Solubility: Insoluble in water, soluble in organic solvents
Packaging: Glass bottles, plastic or metal drums (as per order size)
Hazard Class: Irritant, potentially dangerous to the aquatic environment
Typical Applications: Organic synthesis, pharmaceutical intermediates, agrochemical and dye raw material