CCl4 doesn't undergo hydrolysis because of the absence of vacant d-orbitals. But in SiCl4 silicon has vacant d-orbitals which can be used for hydrolysis. Hence SiCl4 can undergo hydrolysis.

Why CCl4 Can't Be Hydrolyzed?

CCl4, also known as carbon tetrachloride, is a nonpolar molecule composed of one carbon atom bonded to four chlorine atoms. Due to its unique molecular structure, CCl4 is not hydrolyzed, meaning it does not react with water to form new compounds. This can be explained by examining the properties of both CCl4 and water, as well as the concept of hydrolysis.

1. Molecular Structure of CCl4:
- CCl4 is tetrahedral in shape, with four identical chlorine atoms surrounding a central carbon atom.
- All the carbon-chlorine bonds in CCl4 are polar, with chlorine being more electronegative than carbon. However, the molecule as a whole is nonpolar due to the symmetry of the tetrahedral arrangement.

2. Polarity of Water:
- Water (H2O) is a polar molecule, with oxygen being more electronegative than hydrogen.
- The oxygen atom in water carries a partial negative charge (δ-) while the hydrogen atoms carry partial positive charges (δ+).
- The polarity of water allows it to form hydrogen bonds with other polar molecules or ions.

3. Hydrolysis:
- Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction in which a compound reacts with water, resulting in the decomposition of the compound into two or more products.
- Hydrolysis reactions typically occur with polar or ionic compounds, where the water molecule acts as a nucleophile and attacks the compound, breaking bonds and forming new ones.

4. Explanation for CCl4's Inability to Be Hydrolyzed:
- CCl4 lacks polar functional groups such as hydroxyl (OH-) or amino (NH2) groups that are typically involved in hydrolysis reactions.
- Since CCl4 is nonpolar, it does not possess the necessary partial charges to attract and react with water molecules.
- Water molecules are unable to effectively break the strong carbon-chlorine bonds in CCl4 and replace the chlorine atoms with hydroxyl groups.

In summary, CCl4 cannot be hydrolyzed due to its nonpolar nature and the absence of functional groups that facilitate hydrolysis reactions. The lack of polar bonds in CCl4 prevents it from interacting with water molecules, hindering any decomposition or reaction with water.

With electronic structure Explain Why is SiCl4 hydrolysed completely while SiF4 partially hydrolyzed