Synthesis
To a stirred solution of (5-bromo-2-nitrophenyl)methanol (2.8 g, 12.06 mmol) in a solvent mixture of dichloromethane (DCM) and acetonitrile (MeCN) (1:1, 100 mL) was added sequentially at 0 °C carbon tetrabromide (CBr4) (5.2 g, 15.68 mmol) and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) (4.1 g. 15.68 mmol). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 16 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure and the residue was purified by fast column chromatography on silica gel (petroleum ether (PE)/ethyl acetate (EA) = 50:1 to 10:1 gradient elution) to afford the target product 4-bromo-2-(bromomethyl)-1-nitrobenzene (1.1 g, 31% yield).
