Isopropyl Bromide (iPB), also known as 2-Bromopropane (CAS No. 75-26-3), is a specialized, low-molecular-weight haloalkane that functions exclusively as a critical, high-purity chemical intermediate. Its market is defined by its role as an isopropylation agent, essential for introducing the isopropyl group into various organic molecules, overwhelmingly serving the high-value, stringent demand of the pharmaceutical and agrochemical sectors.
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The Isopropyl Bromide industry is characterized by the following key features:
- High-Purity Reagent Demand: The market is driven by the exacting standards of its end-use sectors. As a reactive intermediate, iPB used in pharmaceutical and high-end agrochemical synthesis must maintain extremely high purity and low residual solvent levels to avoid side reactions and ensure the integrity of the final active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) or active ingredient (AI).
- Low Volume, High Complexity: Isopropyl Bromide is a relatively small-volume specialty chemical. Production requires specialized handling due to the volatility and reactivity of organobromine compounds, alongside strict safety and environmental protocols concerning bromine usage.
- Consolidated Supply Chains: Production is concentrated among a select group of specialty chemical manufacturers, predominantly in India and China, who possess the expertise in bromination chemistry, reflecting the high barriers to entry related to chemical safety and waste management.
- Applications Driving Isopropyl Bromide Demand
- Pharmaceuticals:
- Role: iPB acts as a key isopropylation agent in the synthesis of various pharmaceutical APIs, contributing a structural element necessary for biological activity.
- Key Products: It is used in the synthesis of cardiovascular drugs like Aliskiren (a direct renin inhibitor used to treat hypertension). Its isopropylation capacity is also crucial for synthesizing various other complex molecules, including intermediates for specific antipsychotics, anesthetics, and anticholinergics.
- Trend: Demand is stable and driven by established drug production. The focus is on cGMP-compliant iPB that minimizes impurities, which is essential for API synthesis.
- Agrochemicals:
- Role: iPB is used to incorporate the isopropyl group into active ingredients, often to modulate solubility, stability, or biological efficacy against pests.
- Key Products: Derivatives include:
- Profenofos: An organophosphate insecticide used widely in crop protection.
- Isofetamid: A succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicide used in high-value crops like fruits and vegetables, representing a newer generation of agrochemicals.
- Trend: The agrochemical segment is a major volume driver, with demand linked to global food production cycles and the replacement of older AIs with newer, more effective compounds like Isofetamid.
- Others (Specialty Intermediates and Solvents):
- iPB is used as a specialty solvent or reagent in fine chemical synthesis, particularly where highly specific alkylation is required, though this forms a minor part of the total market volume.
- Overview of Key Market Players and Capacities
- Chemclone Industries (India):
- Aggregated Capacity: Reports a combined capacity of 1,200 tons per year for three products: N-Propyl Bromide, N-Butyl Bromide, and Isopropyl Bromide. This suggests the company operates a flexible, integrated alkyl bromide production line, positioning it as a major supplier of these intermediates, particularly to the Indian pharmaceutical and agrochemical manufacturing hubs.
- Bharat Group (India):
- Specific Capacity: Reports an existing capacity of 600 tons per year for its alkyl bromide products. Bharat Group is known for its strong presence in the Indian chemical sector, serving both domestic and export markets for agrochemical and pharmaceutical intermediates.
- Shandong Tongcheng Medicine Co. Ltd. (China):
- Specific Capacity: Reports an existing capacity of 500 tons per year. This capacity is important for serving the vast Chinese domestic market, particularly the large pharmaceutical and agrochemical manufacturing base, often focusing on cost-competitive generic production.
- Neogen Chemicals Ltd (India):
- Bromine Focus: Neogen is a prominent Indian specialty chemical company focusing on bromine and lithium-based compounds. This specialization in bromination chemistry ensures high quality and safety compliance, positioning them as a reliable supplier to global API manufacturers.
- Vynova PPC S.A.S (Europe):
- European Presence: Represents the necessary European supply base, which often focuses on highly regulated, high-purity production. European manufacturers typically adhere to stringent REACH regulations and supply premium segments of the market.
- Shouguang Fukang Pharmaceutical (China):
- Pharmaceutical Link: As the name suggests, this company has strong ties to the pharmaceutical industry, indicating its capability to produce the required cGMP-compliant grade of iPB needed for drug synthesis.
- Mody Chemi-Pharma Limited, Tulip Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., and Krishna Solvechem Limited (India):
- These Indian-based companies further underscore the concentration of iPB production capability in India, driven by the country's dominance in the generics API and agrochemical formulation markets.
- Agrocel Industries Pvt. Ltd. (India):
- Agrochemical Link: Its name suggests a direct focus on the agrochemical sector, indicating its supply of iPB is geared towards large-scale fungicide and insecticide AI production (e.g., Profenofos, Isofetamid).
- Value Chain Analysis
- Stage 1: Upstream Raw Materials
- Isopropanol and Brominating Agents: iPB is synthesized by reacting Isopropanol (Isopropyl Alcohol, IPA) with a suitable brominating agent (e.g., Hydrobromic Acid or Phosphorus Tribromide). The cost of iPB is sensitive to the pricing of IPA (a commodity chemical) and the cost of the brominating agent.
- Stage 2: Isopropyl Bromide Synthesis (Bromination)
- Key Process: The highly exothermic and corrosive nature of bromination reactions requires specialized, corrosion-resistant reactors and stringent safety measures, creating a technical barrier to entry.
- Producers: Companies like Chemclone Industries and Shandong Tongcheng Medicine Co. Ltd. specialize in this synthesis, handling the complex purification and waste management of bromine compounds.
- Stage 3: Downstream Isopropylation
- The Customer: Pharmaceutical and agrochemical API/AI manufacturers.
- The Role: iPB is used as the reagent to selectively attach the isopropyl group onto the target molecule (e.g., during the synthesis of Aliskiren or Isofetamid). The high cost of the final product allows for the use of a specialty, high-purity reagent like iPB.
- Stage 4: End-Market Consumption
- Healthcare: Distribution of finished prescription drugs (e.g., Aliskiren for hypertension).
- Agriculture: Sale of finished pesticide formulations (e.g., Profenofos, Isofetamid) to farmers globally.
- Regional Market Trends
- Asia-Pacific (APAC)
- Production and Consumption Hub: APAC, particularly India and China, holds the majority of global iPB capacity (e.g., Chemclone Industries, 1,200 tpa, Bharat Group, 600 tpa, Shandong Tongcheng, 500 tpa). This region is the largest consumer due to its massive, globally competitive manufacturing bases for generic APIs and agrochemicals.
- Key Country Trends: India's strength (Deepak Nitrite, Neogen Chemicals) lies in supplying the API and generics market. China's large capacity serves domestic AI and API production and is a major global exporter.
- Estimated CAGR: In the range of 2.5%-4.5% through 2030, supported by the ongoing expansion of the region's life science manufacturing base.
- North America and Europe
- High-Value Consumption and Niche Production: These regions are major consumption centers for patented drugs and specialty agrochemicals. Production (e.g., Vynova) is highly regulated and often focused on specialty, high-purity or captive use.
- Trend: Demand is stable and driven by existing drug production and replacement cycles for agrochemicals. There is a strong emphasis on securing qualified, cGMP-compliant iPB supply from external vendors.
- Estimated CAGR: In the range of 1.5%-3% through 2030, reflecting steady, stable growth for essential products.
- Latin America (LATAM) and MEA (Middle East & Africa)
- Emerging Consumption: These regions rely on imports of finished drugs and agrochemicals, thereby generating indirect demand for iPB.
- Trend: Consumption growth is linked to economic development and the adoption of modern healthcare and agricultural practices.
- Estimated CAGR: In the range of 1%-2.5% through 2030.
- Opportunities and Challenges
- Opportunities
- Agrochemical Substitution Cycle: The introduction and widespread adoption of newer, high-efficacy agrochemicals like the SDHI fungicide Isofetamid create sustained, non-cyclical demand for iPB as a key building block in their synthesis.
- Pharmaceutical Generic Manufacturing: iPB's use in the synthesis of established, high-volume drugs like Aliskiren (and its related intermediates) ensures a high volume of stable, long-term demand from the global generic API market, especially in India.
- Diversification of Bromination Chemistry: Companies that can safely and efficiently handle iPB production are uniquely positioned in the specialty chemical market. The high technical and regulatory barriers to bromination chemistry reduce the number of potential competitors.
- Supply Chain Security Premium: Following recent global supply disruptions, pharmaceutical and agrochemical formulators are willing to pay a premium for reliable, high-purity iPB from certified suppliers, favoring established players like Neogen Chemicals or Vynova.
- Challenges
- Chemical Safety and Regulation: Handling iPB and managing bromine-containing waste is chemically and environmentally complex and costly. Stringent regulations (e.g., worker safety, REACH in Europe) impose a high operational burden, particularly on smaller producers.
- Alternative Alkylation Agents: iPB faces competition from other alkylating agents, such as less hazardous isopropyl halides or alternative methods (e.g., using isopropanol with specialized catalysts) if the safety and environmental costs of iPB become too high.
- End-Product Patent Expiration: While the generic market is a boon, a shift in market favor away from an iPB-dependent drug or agrochemical, or the development of a completely new synthesis route that bypasses iPB, could lead to sudden, localized demand contraction.
- Capacity Fragmentation and Aggregation: The fragmented capacity across multiple smaller producers (e.g., Bharat Group, 600 tpa, Shandong Tongcheng, 500 tpa) in APAC can lead to inconsistent quality control or reliability issues, pushing premium buyers towards more established global suppliers.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 Executive SummaryChapter 2 Abbreviation and Acronyms
Chapter 3 Preface
Chapter 4 Market Landscape
Chapter 5 Market Trend Analysis
Chapter 6 Industry Chain Analysis
Chapter 7 Latest Market Dynamics
Chapter 8 Trading Analysis
Chapter 9 Historical and Forecast Isopropyl Bromide Market in North America (2020-2030)
Chapter 10 Historical and Forecast Isopropyl Bromide Market in South America (2020-2030)
Chapter 11 Historical and Forecast Isopropyl Bromide Market in Asia & Pacific (2020-2030)
Chapter 12 Historical and Forecast Isopropyl Bromide Market in Europe (2020-2030)
Chapter 13 Historical and Forecast Isopropyl Bromide Market in MEA (2020-2030)
Chapter 14 Summary for Global Isopropyl Bromide Market (2020-2025)
Chapter 15 Global Isopropyl Bromide Market Forecast (2025-2030)
Chapter 16 Analysis of Global Key Vendors
List of Tables and Figures
Companies Mentioned
- Chemclone Industries
- Bharat Group
- Shandong Tongcheng Medicine Co. Ltd.
- Shouguang Fukang Pharmaceutical
- Mody Chemi-Pharma Limited
- Neogen Chemicals Ltd
- Vynova PPC S.A.S
- Tulip Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.
- Krishna Solvechem Limited
- Agrocel Industries Pvt. Ltd.
