It is a colourless non-flammable liquid that is used as a solvent for oil and grease, in metal cleaning, and in the separation of coal from impurities.

[3] Pentachloroethane can also be obtained by the reaction of acetylene and chlorine, catalysed by aluminium chloride and antimony trichloride.

Pentachloroethane has limited uses as a solvent for oils and grease (especially in metal cleaning), in soil sterilisation, to remove impurities in coal and as a desiccant agent for wood.

[5] Activated carbon-catalysed reaction of pentachloroethane and calcium chloride gives tetrachloroethylene by dehydrochlorination.

Although it is not flammable, pentachloroethane can oxidise to give phosgene and trichloroacetyl chloride in presence of oxygen at high temperatures.