Organic Bromide Market

Organic Bromide Market Outlook

Bromine is found naturally in seas and lakes. The organic derivative of this mineral is prominently used as a catalyst for manufacturing a variety of products including agrochemicals and biocides, disinfectants, and pharmaceuticals. Bromine resources are geographically distributed, with the Dead Sea being the rich resource of bromine, with a concentration of 10-12 grams per liter.

Stringent regulations levied on trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene have forced consumers to move towards more sustainable alternatives. These factors are expected to propel the demand for N-Propyl bromide, an organic bromide (OB). N-propyl bromide is an alkyl bromide, which is a type of organic bromide that has a bromine atom attached to a straight-chain alkyl group.

What are key growth impelling factors anticipated to increase demand?

The use of bromine in agriculture could address the global food problem

To meet the world's nutritional demands, generations of farmers have worked to increase crop diversity and boost harvests. The situation with regard to the world's food supply has gotten worse as a result of the expanding global population and the scarcity of arable land.

Crop protection is given significant weight among the various variables that affect crop yield and quality, such as fertilizers and contemporary irrigation techniques. This sparked the growth of the pesticide industry, which attempts to improve crop quality and manage pests and illnesses that harm agricultural crops.

At the same time, the bromine industry started to create specific bromine compounds effective as pesticides, and now they are among the most widely used insecticides for protecting crops from soil pests. Alkyl bromide is used by farmers in agriculture as a fumigant to control growing insects.

Some bromine-based pesticides have been used to preserve fruits and vegetables by preventing spoilage and inhibiting the growth of fungi and bacteria. However, the use of these compounds is restricted or banned in many countries due to their potential toxicity.

Flame Retardants, Synthesis of Purified Terephthalic Acid

Some OBs are used as flame retardants in plastics, textiles, and electronics. The rubber and plastics industries use the majority of these produced globally to create various flame-retardant products. These flame retardants are widely used in electrical and electronic equipment as well as polymers and fabrics.

It is mainly used in the synthesis of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) produced through the oxidation of p-Xylene. Sodium bromide, hydrogen bromide, or tetrabromomethane are used for it. PTA is widely used for manufacturing polyester fiber and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The pharmaceutical industry is one of the major consumers of these bromide compounds.

Raw Material for Pharmaceuticals

Bromides have been used in medicine for centuries, particularly in the 19th and early 20th centuries, for their sedative and anticonvulsant properties. Nowadays, These are used in the synthesis of various pharmaceuticals for different purposes.

The demand for medicines in growing population regions such as Asian Countries is anticipated to emerge as a major market for the pharmaceutical industry in the forecast period 2023 - 2033. However, the restrictions in some countries on the use of this chemical are anticipated to affect market growth.

Organic bromides are used as muscle relaxants in the treatment of muscle spasms and stiffness. For example, the drug vecuronium contains a bromine atom in its structure and is used as a muscle relaxant during surgery.

In plasma etching, a gas mixture containing a halogen gas (such as chlorine or bromine) is used to bombard the surface of a material with plasma, which removes the material selectively. Bromine-based compounds can be used in plasma etching because they react readily with many materials, including silicon, silicon dioxide, and metals.

One common example of a bromine-based compound used in plasma etching is carbon tetrabromide (CBr4), which is used to etch silicon dioxide. The CBr4 is vaporized and introduced into the plasma reactor, where it reacts with the silicon dioxide to form volatile products that can be removed by the vacuum system.

Research and Development

• In October 2020, research was conducted for the synthesis of Dimeric Molecules via Ag-catalyzed Electrochemical Homocoupling of organic bromides paired with electro-oxidation of urea. In the experiment, a divided electrochemical cell with aprotic and aqueous compartments is separated by an anion exchange membrane enabling coupling of the cathodic homocoupling reaction with anodic oxidation of urea. The assessment was done using 13 OB’s which demonstrated a strong dependence on the reaction outcome. The results showed that this method is excellent for C(sp3)-C(sp3) coupling to corresponding dimeric products with up to quantitative yields.
• In January 2021, a research article published by doi.org investigates the difluorometylation of alkyl bromides and iodides with TMSCF2H. The experiment was performed by reactions of alkyl iodides with TMSCF2H and these were mediated by a copper catalyst using CsF as the activator. The reaction of less reactive alkyl bromides requires a combination of palladium and a stoichiometric amount of CuI in the form of catalysts.

Key Players

• Israel Chemicals Limited
• Albemarle Corporation
• Tosoh Corporation
• Tata Chemicals Limited
• Lanxess Ag
• Jordan Bromine Company
• Gulf Resources Inc.
• Hindustan Salts Limited
• Tetra Technologies Inc.

Regional Outlook

The production is dominated by China. Furthermore, the growth of plastic, consumer electronics, polymer, and automotive industries in this region is expected to grow rapidly in the forecast period where bromide can act as a chemical intermediate.

In terms of raw materials, Israel dominates the market. Israel is one of the large producers of bromine, followed by the U.S. and China. The chemical industry is the prominent consumer of these compounds, followed by oil & gas and pharmaceuticals. Organic bromide compounds are generally categorized into alkyl bromide, bromide polymers, and other compounds. In most industries, It is prevalently used as a flame retardant, bodices, PTA synthesis, and mercury removal.

North America and Europe are the major markets after APAC. The stringent government regulations in Europe and North America over the manufacturing industry may hamper the growth of the market in these regions. In these regions, the market is likely to grow at a moderate rate, while in Latin America and MEA, the CAGR is estimated to be slow.

Recent Developments

• August 2022 - Israel Chemical cooperation announced a collaboration with Lavie Bio for the production of new biostimulant products. ICL will invest USD 10 million into Lavie Bio under a future equity agreement to invest and grow in the food tech domain.
• November 2021 - Tosoh Bioscience collaborated with UGA Biopharma for the development of biologics and biosimilars. This knowledge exchange alliance aimed to exchange upstream and downstream of bioprocessing.
• March 2017 - Gulf Resources announced a merger with Yuxin Chemical and Rongyuan Chemicals to expand their product portfolio.

Organic Bromide Market: Segmentation

• On the basis of Product Type :

  • Alkyl Bromide
    • Cetyl Bromide
    • Bibromomethane
    • Ethyl Bromide
    • Butyl Bromide
    • Lauryl Bromide
    • Other
  • Polymeric Bromide
    • TBBPA
    • DBDPE
    • Other
  • Others

• On the basis of Function :

  • Flame retardant
  • Bodices
  • PTA synthesis
  • Plasma Etching
  • Mercury Removal
  • Other Uses

• On the basis of Regions :

  • North America
    • U.S.
    • Canada
  • Latin America
    • Mexico
    • Brazil
    • Argentina
    • Chile
    • Peru
  • Western Europe
    • Germany
    • Italy
    • France
    • U.K
    • Spain
    • BENELUX
    • Nordic
    • Eastern Europe
  • CIS and Russia
  • Asia-Pacific
    • China
    • India
    • ASEAN
    • South Korea
  • Japan
  • Middle East and Africa
    • GCC Countries
    • South Africa
    • Turkey
    • Iran
    • Israel