Studies on the preparation of methyl bromide from sulphur, bromine and methyl alcohol

Abstract Optimum conditions have been presented for the production of methyl bromide by employing the reactants, sulphur, methyl alcohol, liquid bromine and water. For the maximum recovery of methyl bromide from liquid bromine used in the reaction, a 5% excess of sulphur and 30% excess of water than the stoichiometric quantities were found necessary. The addition of liquid bromine to the reaction mixture at slower rates of 0.5 to 2.5 cm3 min−1, reduced the loss of bromine as sulphur bromide and increased the yield of methyl bromide from 42 to 94.3%. With these standardised conditions, the product had a methyl bromide content of 98.2% with an overall yield of 94.42% based on liquid bromine.