CCl2
dichlorocarbene · dichloromethylene
Dichlorocarbene is a highly reactive and unstable chemical intermediate used primarily as a building block in organic synthesis.
About dichlorocarbene
Dichlorocarbene is a highly reactive chemical species characterized by a carbon atom bonded to two chlorine atoms. Due to its electronic configuration, it acts as a short-lived intermediate in various synthetic chemical transformations rather than a stable bulk material.
Because it sits above the thermodynamic hull, it is inherently unstable and typically generated in situ during reactions. Its insulating electronic character and propensity for rapid transformation make it a vital tool for organic chemists seeking to introduce specific functional groups into complex molecules.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for dichlorocarbene, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of CCl2. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for CCl2, ranked by energy above hull.
| Space GroupSymmetry classification of the crystal arrangement. The number is the international space-group index. | Crystal SystemBroad lattice family, such as cubic, tetragonal, monoclinic, or triclinic, derived from unit-cell symmetry. | Band Gap (eV)Electronic gap calculated for this specific reported structure, measured in electronvolts. | E above hull (eV/atom)Thermodynamic distance from the convex hull for this structure, normalized per atom. Lower is generally more stable. | E/atom (eV)Computed total energy normalized per atom. Use energy above hull, not this value alone, when comparing stability. | Density (g/cm³)Mass per relaxed crystal volume, reported in grams per cubic centimeter. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| P21/c (No. 14) | monoclinic | 3.92 | 0.1527 | -7.403 | 1.87 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.93 |
| Pm (No. 6) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.38 |
| Pm (No. 6) | Monoclinic | — | — | — | 2.13 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.45 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.37 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.39 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.47 |
| P1 (No. 1) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 2.30 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.39 |
| No. 0 | unknown | — | — | — | 0.42 |
| P-1 (No. 2) | Triclinic | — | — | — | 4.43 |
Applications
Where dichlorocarbene is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about dichlorocarbene, answered from cross-validated data.
What is CCl2?
Dichlorocarbene is a highly reactive and unstable chemical intermediate used primarily as a building block in organic synthesis.
What is CCl2 used for?
What is the band gap of CCl2?
Is CCl2 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is CCl2 thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of CCl2?
What is the density of CCl2?
How many polymorphs of CCl2 are known?
What elements does CCl2 contain?
Where does the data for CCl2 come from?
How It Compares
As a transient chemical intermediate, this compound functions as a specialized reagent rather than a structural material, distinguishing it from stable inorganic solids that maintain long-term integrity in ambient conditions.
Data sources & attribution
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project. Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013).
- mpaloe — Data from mpaloe.
- cod — Data from the Crystallography Open Database. Cite: Grazulis et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 40, D420 (2012).
Analyze CCl2 in the Lattice Graph platform
Polymorph comparison, confidence scoring, supply-chain risk, and patent monitoring — across 53 integrated data sources.
Explore the Platform →