Carbon tetrachloride

Carbon tetrachloride, also known as carbon tet for short or tetrachloromethane, is a chemical compound. Its chemical formula is CCl₄. It contains carbon in its +4 oxidation state and chloride ions. It is a colourless heavy liquid.

Carbon tetrachloride
IUPAC name	Carbon tetrachloride, Tetrachloromethane
Other names	Benzinoform, Carbon chloride, Carbon tet, Freon-10, Refrigerant-10, Halon-104, Methane tetrachloride, Methyl tetrachloride, Necatorina, Perchloromethane, Tetraform, Tetrasol
Identifiers
CAS number	56-23-5
PubChem	5943
EC number	200-262-8
KEGG	C07561
ChEBI	CHEBI:27385
RTECS number	FG4900000
SMILES	ClC(Cl)(Cl)Cl
InChI InChI=1/CCl4/c2-1(3,4)5
Properties
Molecular formula	CCl4
Molar mass	153.82 g mol-1
Appearance	colourless liquid
Odor	Sweet, chloroform-like odor
Density	1.5867 g cm−3 (liquid) 1.831 g cm−3 at −186 °C (solid) 1.809 g cm−3 at −80 °C (solid)
Melting point	-22.92 °C, 250 K, -9 °F
Boiling point
Solubility in water	0.097 g/100 mL (0 °C) 0.081 g/100 mL (25 °C)
Solubility	soluble in alcohol, ether, chloroform, benzene, naphtha, CS2, formic acid
log P	2.64
Vapor pressure	11.94 kPa at 20 °C
kH	2.76x10−2 atm-cu m/mol
Magnetic susceptibility (χ)	-66.60·10−6 cm3/mol
Refractive index (nD)	1.4607
Dipole moment	0 D
Structure
Crystal structure	Monoclinic
Coordination geometry	Tetragonal
Molecular shape	Tetrahedral
Dipole moment	0 D
Thermochemistry
Std enthalpy of formation ΔfHo298	-139.3 kJ/mol
Standard molar entropy So298	214.42 J/mol K
Specific heat capacity, C	132.6 J/mol K
Hazards
EU classification	T N
NFPA 704	0 3 0
R-phrases	R23/24/25, R40, R48/23, R59, R52/53
S-phrases	(S1/2), S23, S36/37, S45, S59, S61
Flash point	<982°C
U.S. Permissible exposure limit (PEL)	TWA 10 ppm C 25 ppm 200 ppm (5-minute maximum peak in any 4 hours)
Related compounds
Other cations	Silicon tetrachloride Germanium tetrachloride Tin tetrachloride Lead tetrachloride
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Properties

It is a colorless liquid. It smells like chloroform. It evaporates quite quickly. It can dissolve fats and oils as well as other substances including iodine. It does not burn, but it does make phosgene when heated to a very high temperature.

Preparation

It is made by reacting methane with chlorine. This reaction is similar to the burning of methane (reaction of methane with oxygen). Hydrogen chloride, chloromethane, dichloromethane and chloroform are byproducts (left over substances). It used to be made by reacting carbon disulfide with chlorine. This reaction would produce sulfur(I) chloride.

Uses

The uses of carbon tetrachloride have diminished lately, because it is known to be damage people's health. People think it might damage the ozone layer. Today, it is rarely used for anything.

An old German advertisement stamp for carbon tetrachloride which was used as a stain remover, "Benzinoform" was a tradename for carbon tetrachloride

Previously, was used in fire extinguishers. It was also used to make freon, used in dry cleaning and as a refrigerant.

Safety

Carbon tetrachloride is very poisonous to the liver, the kidneys and the nervous system; it might also cause cancer. Carbon tetrachloride converts to phosgene (an extremely poisonous gas) at very high temperatures like fire conditions. In the days when it was used as a fire extinguisher, this problem was very common and caused deaths.

References in media

• In the episode "Return From The Outer Space" (1965) of the science fiction TV series Lost In Space, a boy is seen buying carbon tetrachloride from a parallel universe.
• Australian YouTuber Tom de Prinse of "Explosions&Fire" and "Extractions&Ire" made videos where he is taking out carbon tetrachloride from an old fire extinguisher and then using it in his videos in 2019, and the chemical has got a fan base on social media. Channel owner Tom later used carbon tetrachloride themed designs in his channel's merchandise.
• In the Ramones song "Carbona Not Glue", the singer says that breathing the vapours of a stain remover containing carbon tetrachloride is better than breathing in glue vapours.

Carbon Tetrachloride Media

• 

  The mechanism of the Appel reaction

• 

  No hay que desesperarse, la Necatorina salva (do not despair, Necatorina saves) Advertisement for Merck's Necatorina, Colombia, 1942

• 

  A brass Pyrene carbon tetrachloride fire extinguisher

• 

  A Red Comet brand glass globe ("fire grenade") containing carbon tetrachloride

• 

  Carbon tetrachloride fire extinguisher poster, USA, 1941–1944

• 

  Hemispheric and Global mean concentrations of CCl4 (NOAA/ESRL).

Related pages

• Chloromethane - methane with 1 hydrogen replaced by chlorine
• Dichloromethane - methane with 2 hydrogens replaced by chlorine
• Chloroform - methane with 3 hydrogens replaced by chlorine

• Carbon dioxide
• Bromide
• Fluoride