Glycol chlor hydrine

Glycol Glycol chlor hydrine I-Chlor 2-hydroxy ethane... 

From Ethylene.—The reverse of this reaction takes place when hydracrylic acid is treated with hydrogen iodide, HI, as discussed above in (8). The third synthesis of hydracrylic acid shows its relation to eth dene. Ethylene takes up, by addition, hypochlorous acid, HO—Cl, in just the same way as it does bromine or hydrobromic acid. The compound obtained is glycol chlor hydrine. This chlor hydrine, by treatment with potassium cyanide, is converted into the glycol cyan hydrine. The cyan hydrine, being an acid nitrile, yields an acid on hydrolysis. The acid obtained is hydracrylic acid. 

The next higher hydroxy acid is hydroxy acetic acid CH2(OH)— COOH, known also as glycolic acid. It may be prepared (a) from chlor acetic acid, (b) from the cyan-hydrine obtained from formic aldehyde, or (c) hy the oxidation of ethylene glycol, by reactions which have been already discussed. Its relation to ethylene glycol gives it the name of glycolic acid. It may be considered as a direct oxidation product of ethane. 

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