What is adipoyl chloride?

Adipoyl chloride, also known as hexanedioyl dichloride or butane-1,4-dicarbonyl chloride, is an organic compound from the class of acyl chlorides. Its chemical formula is C6H8Cl2O2 and its molar mass is 183.03 grams per mole. Its density is 1.25 grams per cubic centimeter.

Adipoyl chloride is obtained from adipic acid. It is considered a hazardous chemical because it produces hydrochloric acid, a corrosive substance, in reaction with water. For this reason, adipoyl chloride needs to be handled with extreme care, using fully protective equipment. It reacts with hexamethylene diamine, which is also toxic, to produce the synthetic polymer nylon, which is not toxic.