Chapter 20: Carboxylic Acid Derivatives. Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution

Interconversion Reactions of Acyl Chlorides

	acid anhydrides
	esters
	acids
	amides

Reaction type:  Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution

Summary

• Acyl chlorides are the most reactive of the carboxylic acid derivatives and therefore can be readily converted into all other carboxylic acid derivatives (see above).
• They are sufficiently reactive that they react quite readily with cold water and hydrolyse to the carboxylic acid.
• The HCl by-product is usually removed by adding a base such as pyridine, C₆H₅N, or triethyl amine, Et₃N.