The mechanism of reaction of phosphorus pentachloride and thionyl chloride with carboxylic esters
Abstract
Carboxylic esters react with phosphorus pentachloride and thionyl chloride to give the corresponding acyl chlorides. It has been demonstrated by examining the fate of the oxygen-18 label in the esters C6H5·CO18OCH2·C6H5 and p-CH3·OC6H4·CO18OCH2·C6H5, that reaction with phosphorus pentachloride and thionyl chloride involves initial nucleophilic attack by the carbonyl-oxygen atom.