2-Chlorocarboxylic acids can be reduced with lithium aluminium hydride to the 2-chloroalcohols.  The required 2-chlorocarboxylic acids are obtained in a variety of ways, including the Hell–Volhard–Zelinsky halogenation. 2-Chloropropionic acid is produced by chlorination of propionyl chloride followed by hydrolysis of the 2-chloropropionyl chloride.  Enantiomerically pure (S)-2-chloropropionic acid and several related compounds can be prepared from amino acids via diazotization.