How would someone make dichloroacetate?

[cj2222]

Main Question or Discussion Point

How would someone make dichloroacetate?

I am not planning on using it to treat any humans with cancer, just wondering.

 

[DDTea]

See the OrgSyn page. The reaction looks gross: chloral hydrate + sodium cyanide...
http://www.orgsynth.org/orgsyn/orgsyn/prepcontent.asp?print=1&showprint=1&prep=cv2p0181

Also see the "Discussion" section on that page:

Dichloroacetic acid has been prepared by the chlorination of acetic1 or chloroacetic2 acid, by hydrolysis of pentachloroethane,3 from trichloroacetic acid by electrolytic reduction4 or the action of copper,5 and by the action of alkali cyanides on chloral hydrate.6

Chlorination of acetic acid seems like the most direct and the cheapest way in terms of industrial-scale manufacture.

 

[Nicodemus]

Wow, I wouldn't touch that process if you paid me without a good reason; curiosity wouldn't be enough. If that thing foams too much, or you forget to keep the evolved hydrogen cyanide down, you'll be dead before anyone could help you. Whatever you do or don't do, curiosity or not, for the love of god do it under a hood and with the PROPER gear.