Alkanoyl chlorides (Acyl Chlorides or Acid Chloride)

General formula:

C_nH_2n+1COCl

where n = 0, 1, 2 ....

Functional group:

Suffix:

oyl chloride

Acid chlorides contain the functional group -COCl. This functional group is obtained by replacing the -OH group of a carboxyl group with a chlorine atom. The common name of an acid chloride is obtained by replacing the ending -ic acid from the common name of the parent acid with -yl chloride.

The IUPAC name of an acid chloride is obtained from the IUPAC name of the parent acid by replacing the terminal e of the parent alkane by oyl chloride.

IUPAC name of the acid chloride = Name of the parent alkane - e + oyl chloride

                                                = Alkanoyl chloride

Some acid chlorides are named below,

Methanoyl chloride: (formyl chloride, parent acid is Methanoic acid) HCOCl

Ethanoyl chloride: (acetyl chloride, parent acid is Ethanoic acid) CH₃COCl