Carbon tetraiodide
Encyclopedia
Carbon tetraiodide is CI4, a tetrahalomethane
. Being bright red, it is a relatively rare example of a highly colored methane
derivative
. It is only 2% by weight carbon, although other methane derivatives are known with still less carbon.
The tetrahedral molecule features C-I distances of 2.12 ± 0.02 Å. The molecule is slightly crowded with short I---I contacts of 3.459 ± 0.03 Å, and possibly for this reason, it is thermally and photochemically unstable. Hexaiodoethane is unknown, probably for the same reason.
Carbon tetraiodide crystallizes in monoclinic crystal structure (a 22.39, b 12.93, c 25.85 (.10-1 nm), β 125.26°).
It has dipole moment of 0 Debye
s due to its symmetrically substituted tetrahedral
molecule.
and I2. Otherwise it is soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. It decomposes thermally and photochemically to tetraiodoethylene, I2C=CI2. Its synthesis entails AlCl3
-catalyzed halide exchange, which is conducted at room temperature:
The product crystallizes from the reaction solution.
CI4 is used as an iodination reagent, often upon reaction with base.
Ketones are converted to 1,1-diiodoethenes upon treatment with PPh3
and CI4. Alcohols are converted in and to iodide, by a mechanism similar to the Appel reaction
. In an Appel reaction carbon tetrachloride
is used to generate the chloride from alcohols.
1945, 67, 1643. DOI.
Tetrahalomethane
Tetrahalomethanes are fully halogenated methane derivatives of general formula CBrkCllFmIn.Tetrahalomethanes are on the border of inorganic and organic chemistry, thus they can be assigned both inorganic and organic names by IUPAC: tetrafluoromethane - carbon tetrafluoride, tetraiodomethane -...
. Being bright red, it is a relatively rare example of a highly colored methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
derivative
Derivative (chemistry)
In chemistry, a derivative is a compound that is derived from a similar compound by some chemical or physical process. In the past it was also used to mean a compound that can be imagined to arise from another compound, if one atom is replaced with another atom or group of atoms, but modern...
. It is only 2% by weight carbon, although other methane derivatives are known with still less carbon.
The tetrahedral molecule features C-I distances of 2.12 ± 0.02 Å. The molecule is slightly crowded with short I---I contacts of 3.459 ± 0.03 Å, and possibly for this reason, it is thermally and photochemically unstable. Hexaiodoethane is unknown, probably for the same reason.
Carbon tetraiodide crystallizes in monoclinic crystal structure (a 22.39, b 12.93, c 25.85 (.10-1 nm), β 125.26°).
It has dipole moment of 0 Debye
Debye
The debye is a CGS unit of electric dipole momentElectric dipole moment is defined as charge times displacement: Historically the debye was defined as the dipole moment resulting from two charges of opposite sign but an equal magnitude of 10-10 statcoulomb10-10 statcoulomb is approximately 0.2083...
s due to its symmetrically substituted tetrahedral
Tetrahedron
In geometry, a tetrahedron is a polyhedron composed of four triangular faces, three of which meet at each vertex. A regular tetrahedron is one in which the four triangles are regular, or "equilateral", and is one of the Platonic solids...
molecule.
Properties, synthesis, uses
CI4 is slightly reactive towards water, giving iodoformIodoform
Iodoform is the organoiodine compound with the formula CHI3. A pale yellow, crystalline, volatile substance, it has a penetrating odor and, analogous to chloroform, sweetish taste. It is occasionally used as a disinfectant...
and I2. Otherwise it is soluble in nonpolar organic solvents. It decomposes thermally and photochemically to tetraiodoethylene, I2C=CI2. Its synthesis entails AlCl3
Aluminium chloride
Aluminium chloride is the main compound of aluminium and chlorine. It is white, but samples are often contaminated with iron trichloride, giving it a yellow colour. The solid has a low melting and boiling point. It is mainly produced and consumed in the production of aluminium metal, but large...
-catalyzed halide exchange, which is conducted at room temperature:
-
- CCl4 + 4 EtI → CI4 + 4 EtCl
The product crystallizes from the reaction solution.
CI4 is used as an iodination reagent, often upon reaction with base.
Ketones are converted to 1,1-diiodoethenes upon treatment with PPh3
Triphenylphosphine
Triphenylphosphine is a common organophosphorus compound with the formula P3 - often abbreviated to PPh3 or Ph3P. It is widely used in the synthesis of organic and organometallic compounds. PPh3 exists as relatively air stable, colorless crystals at room temperature...
and CI4. Alcohols are converted in and to iodide, by a mechanism similar to the Appel reaction
Appel reaction
The Appel reaction is an organic reaction that converts an alcohol into an alkyl chloride using triphenylphosphine and carbon tetrachloride. The use of carbon tetrabromide or bromine as a halide source will yield alkyl bromides, whereas using methyl iodide or iodine gives alkyl iodides...
. In an Appel reaction carbon tetrachloride
Carbon tetrachloride
Carbon tetrachloride, also known by many other names is the organic compound with the formula CCl4. It was formerly widely used in fire extinguishers, as a precursor to refrigerants, and as a cleaning agent...
is used to generate the chloride from alcohols.
Safety considerations
Manufacturers recommend that CI4 be stored near 0 °C. As a ready source of iodine, it is an irritant. LD50: 178 mg.kg–1. In general perhalogenated organic compounds should be considered toxic.Further reading
Sorros, H., Hinkam J. B. , “The Redistribution Reaction. XI. Application to the Preparation of Carbon Tetraiodide and Related Halides” Journal of the American Chemical SocietyJournal of the American Chemical Society
The Journal of the American Chemical Society is a weekly peer-reviewed scientific journal that was established in 1879 by the American Chemical Society. The journal has absorbed two other publications in its history, the Journal of Analytical and Applied Chemistry and the American Chemical Journal...
1945, 67, 1643. DOI.