Acid halides

Definition

Acid halides are a type of carboxylic acid derivative where the hydroxyl group (OH) of the carboxylic acid is replaced by a halogen (e.g., chlorine, bromine). They are highly reactive compounds that participate in nucleophilic acyl substitution reactions.

Related terms

Carboxylic Acids: Organic compounds containing a carboxyl group (COOH), which consists of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to a hydroxyl group.

Nucleophilic Acyl Substitution: A reaction where a nucleophile displaces another group in an acyl compound, often leading to the formation or transformation of carboxylic acid derivatives.

Reactivity: A measure of how readily a chemical species undergoes a chemical reaction with other substances