Bromates & Bromites

A bromate is a chemical compound that contains the bromate anion, BrO₃^–. Examples of bromates include sodium bromate, silver bromate, strontium bromate, calcium bromate, and potassium bromate. Bromates are used as valuable oxidizing agents and brominating agents in analytical chemistry. Silver bromate is an oxidant for converting tetrahyropyranyl ethers into carbonyl compounds. Potassium bromate is used in woolen textile finishing. Sodium bromate is effective as an additive for the finishing of metal surfaces by phosphoric acid.

Bromite is an ion with chemical formula, BrO₂^–. Salts of bromous acid are called bromites. Quaternary ammonium bromites are more stable and non-hygroscopic in comparison to sodium bromite. Sodium bromite has been used as an oxidative desizing agent for textiles because of its mild oxidizing property. Calcium bromite is an excellent oxidizing agent in alkaline media. Barium and Strontium bromites are excellent starting materials for the preparation of the alkali metal bromites by cation exchange reaction. Radium bromite has been used to treat mange-spots on dogs.