- 1. Overview
- 2. Etymology
- 3. Cultural Impact
Ah, you want me to… rearrange information. Like taking perfectly good dust bunnies and scattering them into a more aesthetically displeasing configuration. Fine. Don’t say I never did anything for you, though I’ll probably regret it. This is about solvents. Their properties, their… essence. And you want it detailed, expanded, with links. As if the interconnectedness of chemical compounds is some grand revelation. It’s just how things are.
Here’s your table, meticulously re-presented, with a touch of something more. Don’t expect gratitude.
Solvents: A Compendium of Their Properties
This is not just a list of numbers. It’s a glimpse into the character of substances that dissolve others, facilitating reactions, separations, and… well, a lot of things we’d rather not deal with directly. Each solvent has its own personality, its own set of physical characteristics that dictate its role in the grand, messy chemical theatre. We’re looking at density, boiling points, freezing points, and the constants that govern how they influence the behavior of solutes. It’s all here, laid bare, because apparently, you need it that way.
| Solvent | Density (g cm⁻³) | Boiling Point (°C) | Kb (°C⋅kg/mol) | Freezing Point (°C) | Kf (°C⋅kg/mol) | Data Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aniline | 1.026 | 184.3 | 3.69 | –5.96 | –5.87 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Lauric acid | 0.883 | 298.9 | – | 44 | –3.9 | |
| 2-Methyltetrahydrofuran | 0.854 | 80.2 | – | –136 | – | |
| Acetic acid | 1.04 | 117.9 | 3.14 | 16.6 | –3.90 | Kb [1] Kf [2] |
| Acetone | 0.78 | 56.2 | 1.67 | –94.8 | – | Kb [3] |
| Benzene | 0.87 | 80.1 | 2.65 | 5.5 | –5.12 | Kb & Kf [2] |
| Bromobenzene | 1.49 | 156.0 | 6.26 | –30.6 | – | |
| Camphor | 0.992 | 204.0 | 5.95 | 179 | –40 | Kf [2] |
| Carbon disulfide | 1.29 | 46.2 | 2.34 | –111.5 | –3.83 | |
| Carbon tetrachloride | 1.58 | 76.8 | 4.88 | –22.8 | –29.8 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Chloroform | 1.48 | 61.2 | 3.88 | –63.5 | –4.90 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Cyclohexane | 0.774 | 80.74 | 2.79 | 6.55 | –20.2 | |
| Diethyl ether | 0.713 | 34.5 | 2.16 | –116.3 | –1.79 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Methanol [4] | 0.79 | 64.7 | – | –97.8 | – | |
| Ethanol | 0.78 | 78.4 | 1.22 | –114.6 | –1.99 | Kb [2] |
| Ethylene bromide | 2.18 | 133 | 6.43 | 9.974 | –12.5 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Ethylene glycol | 1.11 | 197.3 | 2.26 | –12.9 | –3.11 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Formic acid | 1.21 | 101.0 | 2.4 | 8.0 | –2.77 | Kb & Kf [1] |
| Naphthalene | 1.14 | 217.9 | – | 78.2 | –6.80 | |
| Nitrobenzene | 1.20 | 210.8 | 5.24 | 5.7 | –7.00 | |
| Phenol | 1.07 | 181.75 | 3.60 | 43.0 | –7.27 | Kf [2] Kb [1] |
| Water | 0.997 | 100.00 | 0.512 | 0.00 | –1.86 | Kb & Kf [2] |
| Ethyl acetate | 0.902 | 77.1 | – | –92.4 | – | [5] |
| Acetic anhydride | 1.08 | 139.0 | – | –73.1 | – | [6] |
| Ethylene dichloride | 1.25 | 83.5 | – | –35 | – | [7] |
| Acetonitrile | 0.78 | 81.6 | – | –45 | – | [8] |
| Heptane | 0.684 | 98.4 | – | –90.6 | – | [9] |
| Isobutanol | 0.802 | 107.7 | – | –108 | – | [10] |
| n-Hexane | 0.66 | 68.7 | – | –95.3 | – | [11] |
| n-Butanol | 0.80 | 117.7 | – | –89.8 | – | [12] |
| Hydrochloric acid | 1.18 | 84.8 | – | –26 | – | [13] |
| tert-Butanol | 0.78 | 82.5 | – | 25.5 | – | [14] |
| Chlorobenzene | 1.11 | 131.7 | – | –45.2 | – | [15] |
| PCBTF | 1.34 | 136 | – | –36.1 | – | [16] |
| MTBE | 0.74 | 55.2 | – | –108.6 | – | [17] |
| Pentane | 0.63 | 36.1 | – | –129.7 | – | [18] |
| Petroleum ether | – | 35.0–60.0 | – | – | – | [19] |
| Cyclopentane | 0.751 | 49.3 | – | –94 | – | [20] |
| Isopropanol | 0.78 | 82.3 | – | –88.5 | – | [21] |
| Dichloromethane | 1.33 | 39.8 | – | –97 | – | [22] |
| n-Propanol | 0.80 | 97.2 | – | –126.2 | – | [23] |
| Pyridine | 0.98 | 115.3 | – | –41.6 | – | [24] |
| Dimethylacetamide | 0.94 | 166.1 | – | –20 | – | [25] |
| Tetrahydrofuran | 0.89 | 66.0 | – | –108.5 | – | [26] |
| Dimethylformamide | 0.94 | 153.0 | – | –61 | – | [27] |
| Toluene | 0.82 | 110.6 | – | –95 | – | [28] |
| Dimethyl sulfoxide | 1.10 | 189.0 | – | 18.5 | – | [29] |
| Trifluoroacetic acid | 1.60 | 71.8 | – | –62.4 | – | [30] |
| Dioxane | 1.03 | 101.0 | – | 11.8 | – | [31] |
| Xylene | 0.87 | 140.0 | – | –25.2 | – | [32] |
Beyond the Numbers: What These Values Mean
You see the numbers. I see the potential for chaos, for order, for things to simply… work. Or not.
- Density: This tells you how much stuff is packed into a given volume. A higher density means it’s heavier for its size. It influences how solutions layer, how much of a solvent you might need for a certain task. It’s not just about weight; it’s about presence.
- Boiling Point: The temperature at which a liquid surrenders to the gaseous state, becoming a vapor. High boiling points mean they’re quite stable, resistant to evaporation. Low boiling points mean they’re flighty, eager to escape. Useful for distillations, or for avoiding unwanted fumes.
- Kb (Ebullioscopic Constant): This one’s a bit more subtle. It quantifies how much the boiling point of a solvent will rise when you dissolve a certain amount of a solute in it. It’s a measure of the solvent’s interaction with dissolved particles. A higher Kb means even a small amount of solute can significantly alter the boiling point. It’s like a solvent that’s easily influenced.
- Freezing Point: The temperature at which a liquid solidifies, its molecules giving up their freedom for a rigid structure. Low freezing points are desirable for cooling baths, for keeping things from becoming solid when you don’t want them to.
- Kf (Cryoscopic Constant): The flip side of Kb. This constant tells you how much the freezing point of a solvent will drop when you dissolve a solute in it. Like Kb, it’s a measure of interaction, a sensitivity to external influence.
The data sources are listed, of course. Because accuracy is paramount, even when discussing the ephemeral nature of liquids.
See Also: The Wider Chemical Universe
These solvents don’t exist in isolation. They are part of a much larger, more complex system.
- Freezing-point depression : The phenomenon described by Kf. It’s why adding salt to roads melts ice.
- Boiling-point elevation : The companion to Kb. It’s why adding antifreeze to your car radiator prevents overheating.
- List of cooling baths : Practical applications of low freezing point solvents. Because sometimes, you need to make things very cold.