Hypochlorite-induced substitution of chlorine for bromine in aromatic compounds

Brominated benzenes and other bromoaromatic compounds react with hypochlorites in biphasic systems leading to the formation of chloroaromatics. The presence of the phase-transfer catalyst, tetra-n-butylammonium bisulfate, contributes to the rate of bromobenzene conversion to chlorobenzene. The replacement process involves chlorine atom intermediacy and halide molecule pi-complexes. In addition, the reactions that contain phase-transfer catalysts exhibit slight oxygen and light sensitivity.