The C-C bond is stronger than the C-Cl bond in CH3COCl

The C-C and C-Cl bond dissociation energies, D-0 at 0 K, in CH3COCl are determined from the recent, accurate experimental enthalpies of formation for CH3COCl, CH3, COCl, CH3CO, and Cl. D-0(C-C) is 85.9 +/- 0.8 kcal mol(-1), and D-0(C-Cl) is 83.0 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1). This suggests that the C-C bond is stronger than the C-Cl bond in CH3COCl, unlike what has been assumed in several recent publications on the photodissociation of CH3COCl. Results from recent ab initio calculations agree with this order of bond dissociation energies.