Question

reaction of propyl alcohol with PCl3

Answer 1

CH3CH2CH2OH +PCl3---> CH3CH2CH2CL +H3PO3

Answer 2

The reaction of alcohols ROHROH with PCl5PClX5 and PCl3PClX3 yields an alkyl halide RCl.RCl.

With PCl5PClX5 the reaction is quite simple leading the formation of RClRCl and POCl3.POClX3.

But with PCl3PClX3 a problem arises. Since PCl3PClX3 has both a lone pair and vacant 3d3d orbitals it can act both as a lewis base and lewis acid.

In the first it PCl3PClX3 accepts a lone pair showing its acidic character and expelling Cl−ClX− out.

Now this is where i am getting confused.On one hand we have a lewis base PCl3PClX3 and on the other we have the "expelled" Cl−ClX−?

Now in this case why does PCl3PClX3 takes away the proton and not Cl−ClX−!