Chlorotrifluoromethane, R-13, CFC-13, or Freon 13, is a non-flammable, non-corrosive

chlorofluorocarbon Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are fully or partly halogenated hydrocarbons that contain carbon (C), hydrogen (H), chlorine (Cl), and fluorine (F), produced as volatile derivatives of methane, ethane, and pro ...

(CFC) and also a mixed halomethane. It is a man-made substance used primarily as a

refrigerant A refrigerant is a working fluid used in the refrigeration cycle of air conditioning systems and heat pumps where in most cases they undergo a repeated phase transition from a liquid to a gas and back again. Refrigerants are heavily regulate ...

. When released into the environment, CFC-13 has a high

ozone depletion potential The ozone depletion potential (ODP) of a chemical compound is the relative amount of degradation to the ozone layer it can cause, with trichlorofluoromethane (R-11 or CFC-11) being fixed at an ODP of 1.0. Chlorodifluoromethane (R-22), for examp ...

, high

global warming potential Global warming potential (GWP) is the heat absorbed by any greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, as a multiple of the heat that would be absorbed by the same mass of carbon dioxide (). GWP is 1 for . For other gases it depends on the gas and the time ...

, and long atmospheric lifetime.

Preparation

It can be prepared by reacting carbon tetrachloride with hydrogen fluoride in the presence of a

catalytic Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recycl ...

amount of

antimony pentachloride Antimony pentachloride is a chemical compound with the formula SbCl5. It is a colourless oil, but typical samples are yellowish due to dissolved chlorine. Owing to its tendency to hydrolyse to hydrochloric acid, SbCl5 is a highly corrosive subst ...

: CCl₄ + 3HF → CClF₃ + 3HCl This reaction can also produce trichlorofluoromethane (CCl₃F),

dichlorodifluoromethane Dichlorodifluoromethane (R-12) is a colorless gas usually sold under the brand name Freon-12, and a chlorofluorocarbon halomethane (CFC) used as a refrigerant and aerosol spray propellant. Complying with the Montreal Protocol, its manufacture w ...

(CCl₂F₂) and

tetrafluoromethane Tetrafluoromethane, also known as carbon tetrafluoride or R-14, is the simplest perfluorocarbon ( C F4). As its IUPAC name indicates, tetrafluoromethane is the perfluorinated counterpart to the hydrocarbon methane. It can also be classified as a h ...

(CF₄).

Production phaseout

Per the international

Montreal Protocol The Montreal Protocol is an international treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organization ...

, CFC-13 began a phase out and replacement with alternative substances starting in the early 1990s that will culminate in a global ban on its production. The atmospheric abundance of CFC-13 rose from 3.0 parts per trillion (ppt) in year 2010 to 3.3 ppt in year 2020 based on analysis of air samples gathered from sites around the world.

Physical properties

References

External links

MSDS at mathesontrigas.com
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Entry at Air Liquide gas encyclopaedia

The crystal structure of chlorotrifluoromethane, CF₃Cl; neutron powder diffraction and constrained refinement

{{Authority control Chlorofluorocarbons Halomethanes Refrigerants Greenhouse gases Ozone depletion Trifluoromethyl compounds

Preparation

Production phaseout

Physical properties

See also

References

External links