A simple and efficient method of preparing α-bromo carboxylic acids

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(98)02204-7

A new and convenient method for α-bromination of aliphatic carboxylic acids is reported. Heating carboxylic acids for 16 hours at 85 °C in trifluoroacetic acid with 1.5 equivalents of N-bromosuccinimide and a catalytic amount of concentrated H₂SO₄ leads to good yields of the respective α-bromocarboxylic acids.