Bromine pentafluoride

Bromine pentafluoride, BrF5, is an interhalogen compound and a fluoride of bromine. It is a strong fluorination reagent.

It melts at −61.30 °C and boils at 40.25 °C. BrF5 finds use in oxygen isotope analysis. Laser ablation of solid silicates in the presence of bromine pentafluoride releases O2 for subsequent analysis.

Preparation
It was the first time prepared in 1930.

It can be prepared by disproportiation of BrF:
 * 3 BrF → BrF3 + Br2

Preparation of larger quantities can be accomplished by reaction with temperature over 150 °C and an excess of fluorine:
 * Br2 + 5 F2 → 2 BrF5

For preparation of smaller amounts can be used reaction:
 * KBr + 3 F2 → KF + BrF5

Reactions
Bromine pentafluoride reacts explosively with water by reaction:
 * BrF5 + 3 H2O → HBrO3 + 5 HF