Answer to Question #313752 in Organic Chemistry for swarnajeet kumar

Question

Why thionyl chloride is generally used to convert alcohols to alkyl halides? Taking suitable example write the mechanism of the reaction of an alcohol with thionyl chloride.

Answer 1

Thionyl chloride is preferred for preparing alkyl chlorides from alcohols because the by-products formed in the reaction are SO2 and HCl which are in gaseous form and escape into the atmosphere leaving behind pure alkyl chlorides.