Preparation of brominated indanes

A process for the manufacture of a polybrominated indane product, said process comprising the steps of:

• (a) forming an intermediate by reacting an indane compound with bromine, under reaction conditions so as to dissolve and partially ar-brominate the indane compound to contain an average of at least about two ar-bromine atoms per molecule, the reaction occurring in the presence of from about 0.001 to about 0.1 gram per gram of indane compound of a weak Lewis acid catalyst selected from the group consisting of antimony chlorides, tin chloride, zinc chloride, bismuth chloride, and cadmium chloride or of from about 0.001 to about 0.005 gram per gram of indane compound of a strong Lewis acid catalyst selected from the group consisting of iron containing bromination catalyst, an aluminum containing bromination catalyst, and zirconium tetrachloride bromination catalyst;
• and
• (b) catalytically ar-brominating the intermediate to obtain a polybrominated indane product, the catalytic ar-bromination occurring in the presence of aluminum containing bromination catalyst or iron containing bromination catalyst or zirconium tetrachloride bromination catalyst and in a mole ratio of bromine to said intermediate of at least 5.