carbon tetrachloride

carbon tetrachloride
a colorless, nonflammable, vaporous, toxic liquid, CCl4, usually produced by the reaction of chlorine with carbon disulfide, methane, or other carbon-containing compounds: used mainly as a refrigerant, fire extinguisher, cleaning fluid, solvent, and insecticide. Also called tetrachloromethane, perchloromethane.
[1900-05]

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also called  tetrachloromethane 

      a colourless, dense, highly toxic, volatile, nonflammable liquid possessing a characteristic odour and belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds, used principally in the manufacture of dichlorodifluoromethane (a refrigerant and propellant).

      First prepared in 1839 by the reaction of chloroform with chlorine, carbon tetrachloride is manufactured by the reaction of chlorine with carbon disulfide or with methane. The process with methane became dominant in the United States in the 1950s, but the process with carbon disulfide remains important in countries where natural gas (the principal source of methane) is not plentiful. Carbon tetrachloride boils at 77° C (171° F) and freezes at -23° C (-9° F); it is much denser than water, in which it is practically insoluble.

      Formerly used as a dry-cleaning solvent, carbon tetrachloride has been almost entirely displaced from this application by tetrachloroethylene, which is much more stable and less toxic.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Carbon tetrachloride — IUPAC name …   Wikipedia

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  • carbon tetrachloride — n. a nonflammable, colorless, poisonous liquid, CCl4, used in making refrigerants, as a solvent for fats and oils, etc …   English World dictionary

  • carbon tetrachloride —    An extremely toxic solvent, possibly causing liver cancer and severe liver damage, even from small exposures. Exposure to carbon tetrachloride can be fatal by skin absorption or inhalation …   Glossary of Art Terms

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  • carbon tetrachloride — noun a colorless nonflammable liquid used as a solvent for fats and oils; because of its toxicity its use as a cleaning fluid or fire extinguisher has declined (Freq. 19) • Syn: ↑carbon tet, ↑tetrachloromethane, ↑perchloromethane • Hypernyms:… …   Useful english dictionary

  • carbon tetrachloride — Synonyms and related words: Foamite, acid, automatic sprinkler, carbon tet, carbon dioxide foam, deck gun, deluge set, extinguisher, fire apparatus, fire engine, fire hose, fire hydrant, fireplug, foam, foam extinguisher, hook and ladder, ladder… …   Moby Thesaurus

  • carbon tetrachloride — noun Date: 1866 a colorless nonflammable toxic liquid CCl4 that has an odor resembling that of chloroform and is used as a solvent and a refrigerant …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • carbon tetrachloride — noun The halogenated hydrocarbon tetrachloromethane; a toxic, non inflammable liquid, used as a solvent, in dry cleaning and in fire extinguishers …   Wiktionary

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