tert-Butyl bromide (also referred to as 2-bromo-2-methylpropane) is an organic compound with the formula Me3CBr (Me = methyl). The molecule features a tert-butyl group attached to a bromide substituent. This organobromine compound is used as a standard reagent in synthetic organic chemistry. It is a colorless liquid.

Reactions

It is used to introduce tert-butyl groups. Illustrative is the tert-butylation of cyclopentadiene to give di-tert-butylcyclopentadiene:

Other aspects

tert-Butyl bromide used to study the massive deadenylation of adenine based-nucleosides induced by halogenated alkanes (alkyl halides) under physiological conditions. 2-Bromo-2-methylpropane causes the massive deguanylation of guanine based-nucleosides and massive deadenylation of adenine based-nucleosides. Phase transition from orthorhombic Pmn21 phase III at low temperatures (measurements from 95 K), to a disordered rhombohedral phase II at 205-213 K. Phase II can exist from 213-223 K, partly coincident with an FCC phase I, which can be observed between 210-250 K. Phase transitions have also been studied at high pressure (up to 300MPa)