Radical-mediated bromination of carbohydrate derivatives: searching for alternative reaction conditions without carbon tetrachloride

KBrO3–Na2S2O4 in CH2Cl2–H2O or PhCF3–H2O biphasic solvent systems was applied to the bromination of several monosaccharide derivatives having capto-datively substituted reaction centres. With less reactive compounds neat PhCF3 was shown to be a suitable substitute of the health and environmentally hazardous carbon tetrachloride.