To the round bottom flask fitted with properly cooled reflux condenser and gas inlet, 100 g of ethyl alcohol and 50 g of anhydrous zinc chloride are placed. The top of the reflux condenser is connected to two washing bottles. The first has water and the second concentrated sulfuric acid. Finally, the apparatus is connected to a cooled flask for condensing the reaction product. A dry stream of hydrogen chloride gas is passed through the boiling mixture. The vapors of ethyl chloride is washed with water, concentrated sulfuric and condensed in a flask which is cooled with a freezing mixture of ice and salt. As ethyl chloride boils at 12°C it must be kept in sealed glass tubes. The yield is almost quantitative.