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Why is dimethyl sulfoxide used as an organic solvent?
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organosulfur compound
Examples of organosulfur compounds.
Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a highly effective organic solvent primarily because it is a powerful solvent for both salts and polar compounds.1
Its utility as a solvent is supported by several key properties:
- Miscibility: It is miscible in all proportions with water, alcohol, and most other organic solvents.1
- Versatility: It is widely used in industrial processes, including the manufacture of polyacrylonitrile fibers, the extraction of aromatic hydrocarbons from refinery streams, the production of certain pesticides, industrial cleaning, and paint stripping.1
- Biological Penetration: DMSO is used as a solvent for drugs and antitoxins applied topically due to its remarkable ability to penetrate animal tissues.1
Beyond its role as a solvent, DMSO is also utilized in organic synthesis as a mild oxidant in a process known as Swern oxidation.2