Photochemical benzylic bromination in continuous flow using BrCCl3 and its application to telescoped p-methoxybenzyl protection

BrCCl3 represents a rarely used benzylic brominating reagent with complementary reactivity to other reagents. Its reactivity has been revisited in continuous flow, revealing compatibility with electron-rich aromatic substrates. This has brought about the development of a p-methoxybenzyl bromide generator for PMB protection, which was successfully demonstrated on a pharmaceutically relevant intermediate on 11 g scale, giving 91% yield and a PMB-Br space-time-yield of 1.27 kg L-1 h(-1).