Common Solvents Used in Organic Chemistry: Table of Properties1
| Solvent | Formula | MW | Boiling Point (°C) |
melting point (°C) |
density (g/mL) |
Solubility² | Dielectric Constant ³ |
flash point (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| acetic acid | C2H4O2 | 60.052 | 118 | 16.6 | 1.0446 | Miscible | 6.20 | 39 |
| acetone | C3H6O | 58.079 | 56.05 | -94.7 | 0.7845 | Miscible | 21.01 | -20 |
| acetonitrile | C2H3N | 41.052 | 81.65 | -43.8 | 0.7857 | Miscible | 36.64 | 6 |
| benzene | C6H6 | 78.11 | 80.1 | 5.5 | 0.8765 | 0.18 | 2.28 | -11 |
| 1-butanol | C4H10O | 74.12 | 117.7 | -88.6 | 0.8095 | 6.3 | 17.8 | 37 |
| 2-butanol | C4H10O | 74.12 | 99.5 | -88.5 | 0.8063 | 15 | 17.26 | 24 |
| 2-butanone | C4H8O | 72.11 | 79.6 | -86.6 | 0.7999 | 25.6 | 18.6 | -9 |
| t-butyl alcohol | C4H10O | 74.12 | 82.4 | 25.7 | 0.7887 | Miscible | 12.5 | 11 |
| carbon tetrachloride | CCl4 | 153.82 | 76.8 | -22.6 | 1.594 | 0.08 | 2.24 | -- |
| chlorobenzene | C6H5Cl | 112.56 | 131.7 | -45.3 | 1.1058 | 0.05 | 5.69 | 28 |
| chloroform | CHCl3 | 119.38 | 61.2 | -63.4 | 1.4788 | 0.795 | 4.81 | -- |
| cyclohexane | C6H12 | 84.16 | 80.7 | 6.6 | 0.7739 | 0.0055 | 2.02 | -20 |
| 1,2-dichloroethane | C2H4Cl2 | 98.96 | 83.5 | -35.7 | 1.245 | 0.861 | 10.42 | 13 |
| diethylene glycol | C4H10O3 | 106.12 | 246 | -10 | 1.1197 | 10 | 31.8 | 124 |
| diethyl ether | C4H10O | 74.12 | 34.5 | -116.2 | 0.713 | 7.5 | 4.267 | -45 |
| diglyme (diethylene glycol dimethyl ether) |
C6H14O3 | 134.17 | 162 | -68 | 0.943 | Miscible | 7.23 | 67 |
| 1,2-dimethoxy- ethane (glyme, DME) |
C4H10O2 | 90.12 | 84.5 | -69.2 | 0.8637 | Miscible | 7.3 | -2 |
| dimethyl- formamide (DMF) |
C3H7NO | 73.09 | 153 | -60.48 | 0.9445 | Miscible | 38.25 | 58 |
| dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) | C2H6OS | 78.13 | 189 | 18.4 | 1.092 | Miscible | 47 | 95 |
| 1,4-dioxane | C4H8O2 | 88.11 | 101.1 | 11.8 | 1.033 | Miscible | 2.21(25) | 12 |
| ethanol | C2H6O | 46.07 | 78.5 | -114.1 | 0.789 | Miscible | 24.6 | 13 |
| ethyl acetate | C4H8O2 | 88.11 | 77 | -83.6 | 0.895 | 8.7 | 6(25) | -4 |
| ethylene glycol | C2H6O2 | 62.07 | 195 | -13 | 1.115 | Miscible | 37.7 | 111 |
| glycerin | C3H8O3 | 92.09 | 290 | 17.8 | 1.261 | Miscible | 42.5 | 160 |
| heptane | C7H16 | 100.20 | 98 | -90.6 | 0.684 | 0.01 | 1.92 | -4 |
| hexamethylphosphoramide (HMPA) |
C6H18N3OP | 179.20 | 232.5 | 7.2 | 1.03 | Miscible | 31.3 | 105 |
| hexamethylphosphorous triamide (HMPT) |
C6H18N3P | 163.20 | 150 | -44 | 0.898 | Miscible | ?? | 26 |
| hexane | C6H14 | 86.18 | 69 | -95 | 0.659 | 0.0014 | 1.89 | -22 |
| methanol | CH4O | 32.04 | 64.6 | -98 | 0.791 | Miscible | 32.6(25) | 12 |
| methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) |
C5H12O | 88.15 | 55.2 | -109 | 0.741 | 5.1 | ?? | -28 |
| methylene chloride | CH2Cl2 | 84.93 | 39.8 | -96.7 | 1.326 | 1.32 | 9.08 | -- |
| N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone (NMP) |
CH5H9NO | 99.13 | 202 | -24 | 1.033 | Miscible | 32 | 91 |
| nitromethane | CH3NO2 | 61.04 | 101.2 | -29 | 1.382 | 9.50 | 35.9 | 35 |
| pentane | C5H12 | 72.15 | 36.1 | -129.7 | 0.626 | 0.04 | 1.84 | -49 |
| petroleum ether (ligroine) | -- | -- | 30-60 | -40 | 0.656 | -- | -- | -30 |
| 1-propanol | C3H8O | 60.10 | 97 | -126 | 0.803 | Miscible | 20.1(25) | 22 |
| 2-propanol | C3H8O | 60.10 | 82.4 | -88.5 | 0.785 | Miscible | 18.3(25) | 12 |
| pyridine | C5H5N | 79.10 | 115.2 | -41.6 | 0.982 | Miscible | 12.3(25) | 17 |
| tetrahydrofuran (THF) | C4H8O | 72.106 | 65 | -108.4 | 0.8833 | soluble² | 7.52 | -14 |
| toluene | C7H8 | 92.14 | 110.6 | -93 | 0.867 | 0.05 | 2.38(25) | 4 |
| triethyl amine | C6H15N | 101.19 | 88.9 | -114.7 | 0.728 | 0.02 | 2.4 | -11 |
| water | H2O | 18.02 | 100.00 | 0.00 | 0.998 | -- | 78.54 | -- |
| water, heavy | D2O | 20.03 | 101.3 | 4 | 1.107 | Miscible | ?? | -- |
| o-xylene | C8H10 | 106.17 | 144 | -25.2 | 0.897 | Insoluble | 2.57 | 32 |
| m-xylene | C8H10 | 106.17 | 139.1 | -47.8 | 0.868 | Insoluble | 2.37 | 27 |
| p-xylene | C8H10 | 106.17 | 138.4 | 13.3 | 0.861 | Insoluble | 2.27 | 27 |
Notes:
- In 2005, this table was adapted by Dr. Brian J. Myers, Webmaster of ACS Division of Organic Division (DOC) from: Professor Murov's Organic solvent table. The values were obtained from the CRC (87th edition), or Vogel's Practical Organic Chemistry (5th ed.).
- Solubilities are in water and are reported as grams solvent/100 grams water. The water solubility of THF is complex. See: Pubchem
- T = 20 °C unless specified otherwise.
- You can find more detailed information (Health & Safety, Physical, Regulatory, Environmental) on various organic solvents from Pubchem
- Solvent guides for following Green Chemistry principles are available at: https://organicchemistrydata.org/gcipr/
- In 2020, Dr. Joseph Ward, DOC Head Webmaster formated the table to accommodate a wide range of screens and add sorting to the table. Additionally, it was moved to the DOC's Organic Chemistry Data Website that was created by Dr. Khoi Van.
- A PDF version of this page is available here.
- Question or comments? Contact the ACS Organic Division
- This page was updated (table sorting was added): August 9, 2020. Methylene chloride F.P. and DMSO and NMP Water solubility corrected October 2021
- © 2022 ACS Division of Organic Chemistry