Acetyl Chloride

Acetyl chloride is produced in the laboratory by the reaction of acetic acid with chlorodehydrating agents such as PCl₃, PCl₅, SO₂Cl₂, phosgene, or SOCl₂. However, these methods usually give acetyl chloride contaminated by phosphorus or sulfur impurities, which may interfere with the organic reactions.^[5]

Acetyl chloride is used for acetylation reactions, i.e., the introduction of an acetyl group. Acetyl is an acyl group having the formula-C(=O)-CH₃. For further information on the types of chemical reactions compounds such as acetyl chloride can undergo, see acyl halide. Two major classes of acetylations include esterification and the Friedel-Crafts reaction.