Chemistry - Halogen Derivative Question with Solution | TestHub

Chloroform (${\text{CHCl}}_3$) is slowly oxidized by oxygen in the presence of light to form a highly poisonous gas, carbonyl chloride, which is commonly known as phosgene.

The chemical reaction is given by:

$2{\text{CHCl}}_3+{\text{O}}_2\stackrel{h\nu }{\to }2{\text{COCl}}_2+2\text{HCl}$

Therefore, ${\text{CHCl}}_3$ forms poisonous phosgene when it comes in contact with air and light.