Question

What happens when carbon tetrachloride is treated with steam at high temperatures?

Answer 1

When carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) is treated with steam (H₂O) at high temperatures, it undergoes hydrolysis, forming phosgene (COCl₂) and hydrogen chloride (HCl).

\[\ce{\underset{tetrachloride}{\underset{Carbon}{CCl4}} + H2O ->[High temp{.}][]\underset{Phosgene}{COCl2} + 2HCl}\]