Acid chlorides. Characteristics of acid chlorides

is called çacid chloride every organic function derived from the reaction between a carboxylic acid it is a organic halide. Below is the equation that demonstrates the formation of an acid chloride and an alcohol:

Equation of the formation of an acid chloride from a carboxylic acid and organic halide
Equation of the formation of an acid chloride from a carboxylic acid and organic halide

We can observe that the functional group of a acid chloridehas a carbonyl that have a chlorine atom. In the carbonyl, we also have the presence of the organic radical. Thus, we can summarize the functional group of an acid chloride as:

Acid chlorides are widely used in so-called organic syntheses, that is, they participate in the formation of other organic compounds, such as carboxylic acids, esters and ethers. In addition, they feature as main features:

  • They have a density greater than that of water;

  • They are polar compounds due to the presence of the carbonyl and the chlorine atom at the end of the chain;

  • They do not have a good solubility in water, being more soluble in organic solvents;

  • Most of them are in solid state at room temperature. However, acid chlorides with a lower molar mass are generally found in a liquid state.


    They have lower melting and boiling points than carboxylic acids, for example.

  • They are extremely reactive organic compounds.

The IUPAC nomenclature for acid chlorides is based on the following rule:

Chloride + de + prefix + infix + oíla

Example: Ethanoyl chloride - Structure with five carbon atoms (Et), only single bonds (an) and, as it is an acid chloride, it ends in oyl.

Example: Structure with five carbon atoms (Pent), only single bonds (an) and, as it is an acid halide, it ends in oyl. So we have pentanoyl chloride.

Example: Structure with three carbon atoms (Prop), a double bond (en) and, as it is an acid chloride, it ends in oyl. So we have propenoyl chloride.


By Me. Diogo Lopes Dias

Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/quimica/cloretos-acido.htm

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