Q.CH3Br, treated with

Prepared from a carboxylic acid by SOCl2, PCl5, or PCl3 -- SOCl2 is preferred, since both by-products (HCl, SO2) are gases that escape cleanly, e.g. acetic acid + SOCl2 gives acetyl chloride + HCl + SO2. Acid chlorides fume visibly in moist air (reacting with atmospheric water vapour) and are formally water-insoluble but hydrolyse slowly on contact. As the most reactive acid derivative, they react readily with weak nucleophiles: water gives back the acid (hydrolysis); alcohols give an ester (alcoholysis); ammonia gives an amide (ammonolysis); a 1-degree amine gives an N-alkylamide, a 2-degree amine an N,N-dialkylamide. Two distinct reductions: H2 ove …