How can CCl2 form? (one carbon and two chlorines)

[jarsoffart]

Here is a page claiming it can form. I'm doing an assignment for school and it claims that all group 14 elements can combine with 2 chlorine atoms. How is CCl2 possible?

 

[Howard]

Well Cl has 2 missing electrons in its valence right?

 

[jarsoffart]

Cl is a halogen. It has seven valence electrons and is missing one from a complete shell.

 

[Babbles]

It can be produced, but even according to what you linked it forms a radical.

Basically, the only time you will see it is as a reaction intermediate. It is a neutral molecule and also acts as an electrophile.
Forms a sp2-hybridized molecule.

 

[Babbles]

I had to look up an exact reaction in an old textbook, but what you would do is treat chloroform (CHCl3) with potassium hydroxide (KOH), which would strip off a proton (H+). That produces trichloromethanide (-:CCl3), which then kicks offa chloride ion givine dichlorocarbene CCl2).

In the prescence of an alkene, the dichlorocarbene will form a dichlorocyclopropane group where the double bond was.