Reactive separation of β-bromoethylbenzene from α-β-bromoethylbenzene mixtures: a Zn 2+ -mediated radical polymerization mechanism.

A Zn 2+ -induced reactive separation method for the purification of β-bromoethylbenzene from α-β-bromoethylbenzene mixtures is discovered, where the selective decomposition of α-bromoethylbenzene follows a radical mechanism. Zn 2+ facilitates the homolysis of the C-Br bond of halohydrocarbons with benzyl bromide, enabling the separation of the corresponding isomers with almost identical physical properties.