Consistent with these compounds being alkylating agents, the α-halide is readily substituted, e.g. by azide.  Similarly, the α-bromocarboxylic acid undergo nucleophilic substitution with ammonia to give the amino acid,
The Darzens reaction involves a ketone or aldehyde with an α-haloester in the presence of a base to form an α,β-epoxy ester, also called a "glycidic ester". The reaction process begins with deprotonation at the halogenated position.  In a related reaction, α-halo carboxylic esters can be reduced by lithium aluminium hydride to the α-halo alcohols, which can be converted to the α-epoxides.
α-Halo-esters can be converted to vinyl halides. upon reaction with ketones and chromous chloride.