Acetyl chloride (CH3COCl) is an acyl chloride derived from acetic acid. It belongs to the class of organic compounds called acyl halides. It is a colorless, corrosive, volatile liquid. Its formula is commonly abbreviated to AcCl
When heated, a mixture of dichloroacetyl chloride and acetic acid gives acetyl chloride.[5] It can also be synthesized from the catalytic carbonylation of methyl chloride.[6] It also arises from the reaction of acetic acid, acetonitrile.