Carbon tetrachloride
Carbon tetrachloride, also known as carbon tet or Freon 10, is a chemical compound. Its chemical formula is CCl4. It contains carbon in its +4 oxidation state and chloride ions.
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[change] Properties
It is a colorless liquid. It smells like ether. It evaporates quite quickly. It can dissolve fats and oils as well as other stuff such as iodine. It doesn't burn, but it does make phosgene when heated to a high tempature.
[change] 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 is a byproduct (left over substance). It used to be made by reacting carbon disulfide with chlorine. This reaction would produce sulfur(I) chloride.
[change] Uses
The uses of carbon tetrachloride have been diminished lately because people think it might damage the ozone layer in the sky that removes ultraviolet rays from the earth. Without ozone, people would get skin cancer much more. It was used as a fire extinguisher. It was also used to make freon.
[change] Safety
Carbon tetrachloride is very toxic to the liver and so is used to test for medicines that protect the liver. It can cause cancer if one is exposed to it a lot.
