Carbon tetrachloride is a colorless, non-flammable liquid with a sweet odor. Its molecular formula is CCl₄, featuring a central carbon atom bonded to four chlorine atoms in a tetrahedral configuration. It has a molecular weight of 153.82 g/mol, a boiling point of 76.7°C, and a melting point of -23°C. The molecule is non-polar and has excellent solvent properties due to its symmetrical structure. First synthesized in 1839 by French chemist Henri Victor Regnault, carbon tetrachloride was initially produced by reacting chloroform with chlorine.