Bromine monofluoride is a quite unstable

interhalogen compound In chemistry, an interhalogen compound is a molecule which contains two or more different halogen atoms ( fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, or astatine) and no atoms of elements from any other group. Most interhalogen compounds known are b ...

with the chemical formula BrF. It can be produced through the reaction of

bromine trifluoride Bromine trifluoride is an interhalogen compound with the formula BrF3. At room temperature, it is a straw-coloured liquid with a pungent odor which decomposes violently on contact with water and organic compounds. It is a powerful fluorinating age ...

(or

bromine pentafluoride Bromine pentafluoride, Br F5, is an interhalogen compound and a fluoride of bromine. It is a strong fluorinating agent. BrF5 finds use in oxygen isotope analysis. Laser ablation of solid silicates in the presence of BrF5 releases O2 for subsequ ...

) and

bromine Bromine is a chemical element with the symbol Br and atomic number 35. It is the third-lightest element in group 17 of the periodic table (halogens) and is a volatile red-brown liquid at room temperature that evaporates readily to form a simila ...

. Due to its lability, the compound can be detected but not isolated: :BrF₃ + Br₂ → 3 BrF :BrF₅ + 2 Br₂ → 5 BrF :Br_2(l) + F_2(g) → 2 BrF_(g) It is usually generated in the presence of

cesium fluoride Caesium fluoride or cesium fluoride is an inorganic compound with the formula CsF and it is a hygroscopic white salt. Caesium fluoride can be used in organic synthesis as a source of the fluoride anion. Caesium also has the highest electroposit ...

. Bromine monofluoride decomposes at normal temperature through

dismutation In chemistry, disproportionation, sometimes called dismutation, is a redox reaction in which one compound of intermediate oxidation state converts to two compounds, one of higher and one of lower oxidation states. More generally, the term can b ...

to bromine trifluoride, bromine pentafluoride, and free bromine.

References

Fluorides Bromine(I) compounds Interhalogen compounds {{Inorganic-compound-stub

See also

References