Common Solvents Used in Organic Chemistry: Table of Properties
1
Solvent Formula MW
Boiling
Point
(°C)
melting
point
(°C)
density
(g/mL)
Solubility²
Dielectric
Constant
³
flash
point
(°C)
acetic acid
C
2
H
4
O
2
60.052 118 16.6 1.0446 Miscible 6.20 39
acetone
C
3
H
6
O
58.079 56.05 -94.7 0.7845 Miscible 21.01 -20
acetonitrile
C
2
H
3
N
41.052 81.65 -43.8 0.7857 Miscible 36.64 6
benzene
C
6
H
6
78.11 80.1 5.5 0.8765 0.18 2.28 -11
1-butanol
C
4
H
10
O
74.12 117.7 -88.6 0.8095 6.3 17.8 37
2-butanol
C
4
H
10
O
74.12 99.5 -88.5 0.8063 15 17.26 24
2-butanone
C
4
H
8
O
72.11 79.6 -86.6 0.7999 25.6 18.6 -9
t-butyl alcohol
C
4
H
10
O
74.12 82.4 25.7 0.7887 Miscible 12.5 11
carbon tetrachloride
CCl
4
153.82 76.8 -22.6 1.594 0.08 2.24 --
chlorobenzene
C
6
H
5
Cl
112.56 131.7 -45.3 1.1058 0.05 5.69 28
chloroform
CHCl
3
119.38 61.2 -63.4 1.4788 0.795 4.81 --
cyclohexane
C
6
H
12
84.16 80.7 6.6 0.7739 0.0055 2.02 -20
1,2-dichloroethane
C
2
H
4
Cl
2
98.96 83.5 -35.7 1.245 0.861 10.42 13
diethylene glycol
C
4
H
10
O
3
106.12 246 -10 1.1197 10 31.8 124
diethyl ether
C
4
H
10
O
74.12 34.5 -116.2 0.713 7.5 4.267 -45
diglyme (diethylene glycol
dimethyl ether)
C
6
H
14
O
3
134.17 162 -68 0.943 Miscible 7.23 67
1,2-dimethoxy-
ethane (glyme, DME)
C
4
H
10
O
2
90.12 84.5 -69.2 0.8637 Miscible 7.3 -2
dimethyl-
formamide (DMF)
C
3
H
7
NO
73.09 153 -60.48 0.9445 Miscible 38.25 58
dimethyl sulfoxide
(DMSO)
C
2
H
6
OS
78.13 189 18.4 1.092
Miscible
47 95
1,4-dioxane
C
4
H
8
O
2
88.11 101.1 11.8 1.033 Miscible 2.21(25) 12
ethanol
C
2
H
6
O
46.07 78.5 -114.1 0.789 Miscible 24.6 13
ethyl acetate
C
4
H
8
O
2
88.11 77 -83.6 0.895 8.7 6(25) -4
ethylene glycol
C
2
H
6
O
2
62.07 195 -13 1.115 Miscible 37.7 111
glycerin
C
3
H
8
O
3
92.09 290 17.8 1.261 Miscible 42.5 160
heptane
C
7
H
16
100.20 98 -90.6 0.684 0.01 1.92 -4
hexamethylphosphoramide
(HMPA)
C
6
H
18
N
3
OP
179.20 232.5 7.2 1.03 Miscible 31.3 105
hexamethylphosphorous
triamide (HMPT)
C
6
H
18
N
3
P
163.20 150 -44 0.898 Miscible ?? 26
hexane
C
6
H
14
86.18 69 -95 0.659 0.0014 1.89 -22
methanol
CH
4
O
32.04 64.6 -98 0.791 Miscible 32.6(25) 12
methyl t-butyl
ether (MTBE)
C
5
H
12
O
88.15 55.2 -109 0.741 5.1 ?? -28
methylene chloride
CH
2
Cl
2
84.93 39.8 -96.7 1.326 1.32 9.08
--
N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone
(NMP)
CH
5
H
9
NO
99.13 202 -24 1.033
Miscible
32 91
nitromethane
CH
3
NO
2
61.04 101.2 -29 1.382 9.50 35.9 35
pentane
C
5
H
12
72.15 36.1 -129.7 0.626 0.04 1.84 -49
petroleum ether (ligroine) -- -- 30-60 -40 0.656 -- -- -30
1-propanol
C
3
H
8
O
60.10 97 -126 0.803 Miscible 20.1(25) 22
2-propanol
C
3
H
8
O
60.10 82.4 -88.5 0.785 Miscible 18.3(25) 12
pyridine
C
5
H
5
N
79.10 115.2 -41.6 0.982 Miscible 12.3(25) 17
tetrahydrofuran (THF)
C
4
H
8
O
72.106 65 -108.4 0.8833 soluble² 7.52 -14
toluene
C
7
H
8
92.14 110.6 -93 0.867 0.05 2.38(25) 4
triethyl amine
C
6
H
15
N
101.19 88.9 -114.7 0.728 0.02 2.4 -11
water
H
2
O
18.02 100.00 0.00 0.998 -- 78.54 --
water, heavy
D
2
O
20.03 101.3 4 1.107 Miscible ?? --
o-xylene
C
8
H
10
106.17 144 -25.2 0.897 Insoluble 2.57 32
m-xylene
C
8
H
10
106.17 139.1 -47.8 0.868 Insoluble 2.37 27
p-xylene
C
8
H
10
106.17 138.4 13.3 0.861 Insoluble 2.27 27
Notes:
1. 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.).
2. Solubilities are in water and are reported as grams solvent/100 grams water. The water solubility of THF is
complex. See: Pubchem
3. T = 20 °C unless specified otherwise.
4. You can find more detailed information (Health & Safety, Physical, Regulatory, Environmental) on various
organic solvents from Pubchem
5. Solvent guides for following Green Chemistry principles are available at:
https://organicchemistrydata.org/gcipr/
6. 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.
7. A PDF version of this page is available here.
8. Question or comments? Contact the ACS Organic Division
9. This page was updated (table sorting was added): August 9, 2020. Methylene chloride F.P. and DMSO and NMP
Water solubility corrected October 2021.
10. © 2022 ACS Division of Organic Chemistry