Oxybromine

Oxybromine is a general term that can refer to a class of chemical compounds containing oxygen and bromine. These compounds are not a single, well-defined entity but rather encompass a range of possibilities. The most common and stable oxybromine compounds are the bromine oxides and the oxyanions of bromine, known as bromates and hypobromites.

Bromine oxides are compounds where bromine is directly bonded to oxygen. Examples include dibromine monoxide (Br2O), dibromine trioxide (Br2O3), and dibromine pentoxide (Br2O5). These are generally reactive and often unstable, with some existing only as transient species or in specific laboratory conditions. They are typically formed by reactions involving elemental bromine and oxygen or ozone.

Oxybromine anions are species with a negative charge where bromine is bonded to oxygen. The most prominent are the hypobromite ion (BrO-) and the bromate ion (BrO3-). Hypobromites are often formed in alkaline solutions of bromine and are unstable, readily disproportionating into bromide and bromate ions. Bromates are more stable and can be formed by the oxidation of hypobromites or bromides. Sodium bromate (NaBrO3) is an example of a bromate salt.

The chemistry of oxybromine compounds is varied, with different oxidation states for bromine. The term oxybromine can also be used informally in contexts related to atmospheric chemistry, where various oxygenated bromine species are studied for their role in stratospheric ozone depletion.