Abstract

The action of halogens with dry metallic salts, particularly silver salts of carboxylic acids has merited earlier reviews. It has been pointed out that the halogen used, the ratio of silver salt to halogen, and the presence or absence of other active materials, such as olefins, acetylenes, or readily substituted aromatic rings plays a determining the course of the reactions. Thus it is possible to produce an organic halide containing one less carbon atom than the original acid; esters derived from two molecules of the acid by the loss of one molecule of carbon dioxide; esters of 1,2-diols or halohydrins; halogenated aromatic compounds; and halogenated acetylenes. These reactions are the subject of this chapter.