Does carbon tetrachloride have a high melting point? Why or why not?

Question

Does carbon tetrachloride have a high melting point?  Why or why not?

Naomi Aronson · Accepted Answer

The answer is no, and it does not even have a high boiling point..........

The melting point of #"carbon tetrachloride"# is listed here as #-22# #""^@C#, and its normal boiling point is #76.7# #""^@C#. For a fairly high molecular mass molecule these values are fairly low. These low physical constants reflect the fact that (i) carbon tetrachloride is molecular; and (ii) there are only weak dispersion forces that operate between molecules. While the individual #C-Cl# bonds are polar, #"carbon tetrachloride"# is necessarily a tetrahedral molecule in which the #C^(delta+)-Cl^(delta-)# dipoles sum to ZERO; and thus there is no molecular dipole moment to act as an intermolecular force. Only dispersion forces operate here. Considering that it is a non-polar molecule, how do you feel about its water solubility? These days, safety concerns prevent its use in teaching labs.

Olivia Anton · Answer

undefined Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) does not have a distinct melting point because it undergoes a phase transition from a solid to a liquid without passing through an intermediate melting phase. This process is called sublimation.