Acyl chloride

An acyl chloride is a type of chemical compound used mainly in creating other chemicals. It has a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and also connected to a chlorine atom. This combination makes it highly reactive, especially with water or alcohols, leading to new substances used in manufacturing plastics, pharmaceuticals, and perfumes. Acyl chlorides are important intermediates because they easily react to form other useful compounds, acting as building blocks in chemical synthesis.