The reaction of levulinic acid and its esters with bromine in ionic liquids results in the formation of 3-bromo derivatives as the major products and not the 5-bromo substituted isomers, which are typically formed in organic solvents. The bromination of levulinic acid in ionic liquids in the presence of urea leads to the formation of 5-bromolevulinic acid.
[Buckel, Wolfgang; Pierik, Antonio J.; Plett, Sandra; Alhapel, Ashraf; Suarez, Diana; Tu, Shang-Min; Golding, Bernard T. European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry, 2006 , # 18 p. 3622 - 3626]