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.
Properties.
It is a colorless liquid. It smells like chloroform. It evaporates quite quickly. It can dissolve fats and oils as well as other stuff such as 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.
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.