Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: We report a scalable and efficient flow method for the selective α-bromination of aromatic ketones using N -bromosuccinimide (NBS) activated by catalytic p -toluenesulfonic acid ( p TsOH). The reaction conditions were optimized via a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach, enabling rapid identification of parameters that afford high conversions and selectivities. The methodology tolerates various electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents on the aromatic ring, with electron-rich substrates showing higher reactivity. Scale-up experiments confirmed the robustness and stability of the system, producing multi-gram quantities without loss of efficiency. This flow protocol offers a safe, practical, and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional batch bromination, with potential industrial applicability for the synthesis of pharmaceutically relevant α-bromo ketones.
Source: Discover Chemistry.
Institution: University of Perugia
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
Funder: NextGenerationEU
Award: G5595183243
OpenAlex ID: W7154700514