Isopropyl 2,2-bis(4-bromophenyl)-2-hydroxyacetate

The title compound, C17H16Br2O3, which is a restricted commercial acaricide (common name bromopropylate), has two independent and conformationally similar molecules in the asymmetric unit [dihedral angles between the planes of the two phenyl rings = 68.7 (4) and 77.4 (5)degrees]. The C atoms of the isopropyl group of one of the molecules are disordered over two sites with occupancies of 0.638 (16) and 0.362 (16). Minor non-merohedral twinning was also present in the crystal. Intermolecular O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the hydroxy groups and carboxyl O-atom acceptors give separate centrosymmetric homodimers through cyclic hydrogen-bonding motifs [graph set R-2(2) (10)].