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Which common chlorinated hydrocarbons are called methylene chloride, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride?
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organohalogen compound
Vinyl chloride is an organohalogen compound that has important industrial applications. When treated with certain catalysts, vinyl chloride monomers undergo polymerization and form the larger compound known as polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. PVC is used in the manufacture of numerous products, including packaging films and water pipes.
Methylene chloride, chloroform, and carbon tetrachloride are common names for specific chlorinated hydrocarbons that belong to the family of organohalogen compounds. These substances are often produced through the chlorination of methane.123
The chemical identities for these compounds are as follows:
- Methylene chloride: Represented by the chemical formula , this is a volatile, colorless liquid widely used as a solvent.124
- Chloroform: Represented by the formula , this clear liquid was historically used as an anesthetic and remains an important industrial chemical.52
- Carbon tetrachloride: Represented by the formula , this dense, toxic liquid has been used in the manufacture of refrigerants and as a solvent.267
These common names have been in use for a long time, even as formal IUPAC nomenclature provides systematic ways to identify these structures based on their carbon framework and halogen substituents.2