Chlorine is a greenish-yellow, diatomic gas with a pungent, irritating odour. It is soluble in chlorides, alkali, and alcohols and combines readily with all elements except the rare gases, excluding xenon, and nitrogen. Chlorine is corrosive to some forms of plastics, rubber, and coatings.
It reacts explosively or forms explosive compounds with many common substances such as acetylene, ether, turpentine, ammonia, fuel gas, hydrogen, and finely divided metals. It is a non-combustible gas, and a strong oxidiser.
Main end-product use of chlorine is in polyvinyl chloride (PVC), via the intermediates ethylene dichloride (EDC) and vinyl chloride monomer (VCM).
Others include organic and inorganic chemicals, agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, water treatment.