Ralph A. Davis

Novel synthesis of benzotrihalides: the pyrolysis of phenyl trihalogenoacetates

Pyrolysis of 4-chlorophenyl trichloroacetate (I) at 500 °C yields 4-chlorobenzotrichloride (II) and some 1,4-dichlorobenzene (III) as by-product; the corresponding trifluoroacetate is converted into 4-chlorobenzotrifluoride.

Bromide catalysis in the preparation of benzylidyne trichlorides via photochlorination

Bromine catalyses the photochlorination of substituted toluenes to benzylidyne trichlorides.

Thermal rearrangement of 2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl acetate

2-Chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl acetate (1a) and 2,3-dichloropropyl acetate (2a) equilibrate under thermal conditions by an unprecedented intermolecular pathway, i.e., solvent-separated ion pairs.