Phosphorus pentabromide is a reactive, yellow solid of formula PBr5, which has the structure [PBr4]+Br− (tetrabromophosphonium bromide) in the solid state but in the vapor phase is completely dissociated to PBr3 and Br2. Rapid cooling of this phase to 15 K leads to formation of the ionic species phosphorus heptabromide (tetrabromophosphonium tribromide [PBr4]+[Br3]−).[2]
Reversing this equilibrium to generate PBr5 by addition of Br2 to PBr3 is difficult in practice because the product is susceptible to further addition to yield phosphorus heptabromide [PBr4]+[Br3]−.[4]
^Popov, A. I.; Skelly, N. E. (1954). "Spectrophotometric Study of Phosphorus Pentabromide in Various Solvents". J. Am. Chem. Soc. 76 (15): 3916–3919. doi:10.1021/ja01644a014.