Question

Are `"CCl"_4` and benzene bases or acids?

Answer 1

Neither carbon tetrachloride nor benzene exhibit AQUEOUS acid or base behaviour.

Explanation:

Neither species exhibits the typical acid-base equilibrium in water:

`HA + H_2O rightleftharpoons A^(-)(aq) + H_3O^+(aq)`

As a nucleophile, benzene undergoes electrophilic aromatic substitution (and thereby acts as a Lewis base, an electron pair DONOR), but conventional acid-base behaviour is not displayed.