Acetone

Acetic Acid

Acetonitrile

Butanol

Benzene

Chloroform

Carbon tetrachloride

Cyclohexane

Dichloromethane

1,2- Dichloroethane

Dimethylsulfoxide

Dimethyl formamide

Ethanol

Dioxane

Ethyl acetate

Ethyl ether

Hexane

Heptane

Methanol

Isopropyl alcohol

Methyl-t-butyl ether

Pentane

Methyl ethyl ketone

Toluene

Tetrahydrafuran

Water

Xylene

Acetic Acid
Acetone
Acetonitrile
Benzene
Butanol
Carbon tetrachloride
Chloroform
Cyclohexane
1,2- Dichloroethane
Dichloromethane
Dimethyl formamide
Dimethylsulfoxide
Dioxane
Ethanol
Ethyl acetate
Ethyl ether
Heptane
Hexane
Isopropyl alcohol
Methanol
Methyl-t-butyl ether
Methyl ethyl ketone
Pentane
Tetrahydrafuran
Toluene
Water
Xylene

Miscibile
Immiscible

Polarity Index1 Viscosity (cP)

6.2
1.26
5.1
0.32
5.8
0.37
2.7
0.65
4.0
0.73
1.6
0.97
4.1
0.57
0.2
1.00
3.5
0.79
3.1
0.44
6.4
0.92
7.2
2.00
4.8
1.54
5.2
1.20
4.4
0.45
2.8
0.32
0.0
0.39
0.0
0.33
3.9
2.30
5.1
0.60
2.5
0.27
4.7
0.45
0.0
0.23
4.0
0.55
2.4
0.59
9.0
1.00
2.5
0.61

UV (nm) Cutoff2
230
330
190
280
254
263
245
200
225
235
268
268
215
210
260
220
200
200
210
205
210
329
200
215
285
200
290

Solubility in Water (%)

100
100
100
0.18
0.43
0.08
0.815
0.01
0.81
1.6
100
100
100
100
8.7
6.89
0.0003
0.001
100
100
4.8
24
0.0004
100
0.051
100
0.018

The polarity index is a measure of the relative polarity of a solvent

and is useful for identifying suitable mobile phase solvents. The
polarity index increases with polarity. For reverse phase
chromatography eluent strength decreases as its polarity increases
2 UV

cutoff, the wavelength at which the solvent absorbance in

a 1 cm path length cell is equal to 1 AU (absorbance unit)
using water in the reference cell.

Solvent Polarity Chart

Relative Polarity

Formula

Group

Non-polar

R-H

Alkanes

Ar-H
R-O-R

Aromatics
Ethers

R-X

Alkyl halides

R-COOR

Esters
Aldehydes and
ketones

Solvent Miscibility and Viscosity Chart

adapted from Paul Sadek The HPLC
Solvent Guide Wiley-Interscience, 2002.

Mobile phases, stationary phase,

analyte and samples must be
compatible

R-CO-R

Polar

R-NH2

Amines

R-OH

Alcohols

R-COHN2 Amides
R-COOH Carboxylic Acid
H-O-H
Water

Solvents
Petroleum ethers,
hexanes, ligroin
Toluene
Diethyl ether
Tricholoromethane,
chloroform
Ethyl acetate
Acetone, MEK
Pyridine,
triethylamine
MeOH, EtOH, IPA,
Butanol
Dimethyformamide
Ethanoic Acid