Phosphorus(III) bromide is used mainly for the conversion of alcohols to alkyl bromides and it is used in tests for skin corrosivity. It is used for alkene preparation and it act as a lewis base and a lewis acid. It is used as a catalyst for the alpha-bromination of carboxylic acids and used as intermediates in hell-volhard-zelinsky halogenation. Phosphorus tribromide is used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals such as alprazolam, methohexital and fenoprofen. It is also used as a fire suppression agent.

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