A Review of the Applications of Benzoyl Chloride Across Various Fields

Benzoyl chloride is a colorless, transparent, flammable acyl halide compound characterized by a pungent odor. Soluble in organic solvents such as water, ether, chloroform, and benzene, it functions as a potent electrophilic acylating agent. It reacts vigorously with water, releasing hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas; consequently, it exhibits strong acidity and extreme corrosiveness in humid environments. It reacts with alcohols to yield corresponding esters and with amines to form amides. In the chemical industry, it primarily serves as a benzoylating agent, a reaction substrate, or a synthetic intermediate.

Chemical Industry

When employed as a bifunctional reagent, benzoyl chloride can facilitate the 1,3-acylchlorination of cyclopropanes. Furthermore, acylcyclopropanes featuring quaternary carbon centers can be synthesized via nucleophilic cyclization processes[1].

In room-temperature ionic liquids, 2-aminobenzamide and substituted benzoyl chlorides can be utilized as starting materials to achieve the highly efficient, one-pot synthesis of 2-aryl-4(3H)-quinazolinones. During this cyclization process, benzoyl chloride acts dually: it serves as a reaction substrate by providing the benzoyl moiety, and—under specific conditions—it assists in the dehydration step[2].

Pharmaceutical Field

Derivatization using benzoyl chloride can enhance the detection sensitivity for most types of lipids under investigation; this enhancement is particularly pronounced in the analysis of monoacylglycerols and diacylglycerols. Studies have reported the use of benzoyl chloride to pretreat serum samples, thereby improving mass spectrometry detection results through chemical modification; this technique holds promise for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in patients[3].

Polymeric Materials

Benzoyl chloride is utilized in the production of benzoyl peroxide (BPO). A widely used diacyl peroxide, BPO serves as a crucial initiator within the polymer industry and is extensively employed in the curing of polyester resins and in rubber processing[4].

References:

[1] MINGRUI LI. Visible light-mediated 1,3-acylative chlorination of cyclopropanes employing benzoyl chloride as bifunctional reagents in NHC catalysis[J]. Science China Chemistry, 2025, 68 8: 3628-3635. DOI:10.1007/s11426-024-2525-0.

[2] T. POTEWAR. A Novel One‐Pot Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐4(3H)‐Quinazolinones Using Room Temperature Ionic Liquid as Reaction Medium as well as Promoter[J]. Synthetic Communications, 2005, 35 1: 231-241. DOI:10.1081/SCC-200048433.

[3] ONDŘEJ PETERKA. Benzoyl chloride derivatization improves selectivity and sensitivity of lipidomic quantitation in human serum of pancreatic cancer patients using RP-UHPLC/MS/MS[J]. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry, 2025, 418 2: 733-745. DOI:10.1007/s00216-025-06151-0.

[4] XU Y, CHEN R, YANG M, et al. Heterogeneous peroxidation of benzoyl chloride with H2O2 in packed-bed microreactors: Reaction regime and kinetics[J]. AIChE Journal, 2025, 36 1. DOI:10.1002/aic.70196.

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