Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How is hydrogen bromide used in chemical reactions?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
bromine
Bromine.
Hydrogen bromide (HBr) is a colorless gas that serves two primary functions in chemical processes: it acts as a reducing agent and as a catalyst in organic reactions.1
When dissolved in water, this gas forms hydrobromic acid, a strong acid that exhibits chemical activity similar to hydrochloric acid when reacting with metals, oxides, and hydroxides.1