The reactivity of chloroformates and acyl chlorides are similar. Representative reactions are:
* Reaction with amines to form carbamates: 
:ROC(O)Cl + HNR → ROC(O)-N(H)R + HCl
* Reaction with alcohols to form carbonate esters:
:ROC(O)Cl + HOR → ROC(O)-OR + HCl
* Reaction with carboxylic acids to form mixed anhydrides:
Typically these reactions would be conducted in the presence of a base which serves to absorb the HCl.
Alkyl chloroformate esters degrate to give the alkyl chloride, with retention of configuration:
The reaction is proposed to proceed via a substitution nucleophilic internal mechanism.