Acetyl bromide is primarily used as an acetylating agent in organic synthesis. It transfers acetyl groups to alcohols, amines, and other nucleophiles, making it valuable in the preparation of esters and amides. It is especially useful in reactions where a more reactive acetylating agent is needed compared to acetyl chloride. It finds application in the pharmaceutical industry for synthesizing active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates. Due to its high reactivity, it is also employed in research laboratories for modifying functional groups in complex molecules. Acetyl bromide is effective in the conversion of aldehydes to vinyl bromides and in certain Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions when catalyzed by Lewis acids. Its use is limited in large-scale industrial processes due to its sensitivity to moisture and corrosive nature, but it remains a key reagent in specialized synthetic pathways.