Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names (see Table) is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It is a reagent in synthetic chemistry and was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent. It is a colourless liquid with a "sweet" smell that can be detected at low levels.
Both carbon tetrachloride and tetrachloromethane are acceptable names under IUPAC nomenclature. Colloquiall...
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Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names (see Table) is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It is a reagent in synthetic chemistry and was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent. It is a colourless liquid with a "sweet" smell that can be detected at low levels.
Both carbon tetrachloride and tetrachloromethane are acceptable names under IUPAC nomenclature. Colloquially, it is called "carbon tet".
The production of carbon tetrachloride has steeply declined since the 1980s due to environmental concerns and the decreased demand for CFCs, which were derived from carbon tetrachloride. In 1992, production in the U.S.-Europe-Japan was estimated at 720,000 tonnes.
Carbon tetrachloride was originally synthesised in 1839 by reaction of chloroform with chlorine, from the French chemist Henri Victor Regnault, but now it is mainly synthesized from methane:
The production often utilizes by-products of other chlorination...
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