GENERAL STEPS: 2,4-dichlorobenzyl alcohol (17.7 g, 0.1 mol), dichloromethane (30 mL), and N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF, 1 mL) were added to a 100 mL round-bottomed flask, followed by the slow dropwise addition of phosphorus trichloride (4.68 g, 0.034 mol). The reaction mixture was heated to reflux temperature (60-80°C) and the reaction lasted for 2-3 hours. The progress of the reaction was monitored by thin layer chromatography (TLC) until the complete disappearance of the raw material. After completion of the reaction, 2,4-dichlorobenzyl chloride (17.99 g, 92% yield) was purified by distillation.
