The invention relates to a process for preparing alkyl chlorides by reacting alcohols with gaseous hydrogen chloride in the presence of a catalyst, wherein the catalyst comprises at least one compound of the structure: wherein R1 is a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R2, R3, and R4 is selected from a hydrogen, an alkyl, an alkenyl, an aralkyl or an alkylaryl group from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 are all identical, are all different or two of the substituents of R2, R3, and R4 type are identical.