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Sodium bromide



Sodium bromide
IUPAC name Sodium bromide
Identifiers
CAS number 7647-15-6
Properties
Molecular formula NaBr
Molar mass 102.894 g/mol
Appearance White powder
Density 3.21 g/cm³, solid
Melting point

755 °C

Boiling point

1390 °C

Solubility in water 73.3 g/100 mL (20 °C)
116.0 g/100 mL (50 °C)
Hazards
MSDS External MSDS
EU classification mild irritant (I)
R-phrases R36, R37, R38.
S-phrases S26, S37, S39.
Flash point Non-flammable.
Related Compounds
Other anions NaCl
Other cations KBr
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Infobox disclaimer and references

Sodium bromide is a salt with the formula NaBr, widely used as an anticonvulsant and a sedative in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its action is due to the bromide ion (potassium bromide is equally effective). It is a high-melting white, crystalline solid that resembles sodium chloride. It is a widely used source of the bromide ion.

Contents

Principal chemical reactions

NaBr is widely used in organic synthesis as a nucleophile to convert organochlorine compounds to organobromine derivatives, which are more usefully (selectively) reactive.

NaBr + RCl → RBr + NaCl
  • Sodium bromide can be used as a source of the chemical element bromine. This can be accomplished by bubbling chlorine gas through an aqueous solution of NaBr.
  • As a source of HBr, NaBr is treated with a strong, non-volatile acid:
NaBr + H3PO4 → HBr + NaH2PO4

HBr can also be oxidized to Br2 using MnO2 or concentrated H2SO4.

Other applications

  • as a hypnotic, anticonvulsant, and sedative in medicine. As a source of the bromide ion, which is pharmacologically active, it is equivalent to potassium bromide (see this article for more complete discussion of this topic).
  • in photography
  • to establish a bromide ion reserve in a bromine spa (hot tub) antimicrobial treatment regimen.

NaBr is sold under the brand name Sedoneural.

Safety

NaBr is harmful if swallowed or inhaled in large amounts, affecting the central nervous system, brain, and eyes (see potassium bromide). The compound causes irritation to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.

References

     
    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Sodium_bromide". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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