DMSO - Dimethyl sulfoxide is widely used for dissolving wide range of polar and non polar compunds? What is the basis for this property
2007-03-09 15:44:05 · 2 answers · asked by Rajagopal SV 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It's a very versitile molecule. The structure is
CH3 \
S=O
CH3 /
The methyl groups can interact with non-polar substances while the highly negative oxygen can interact with polar substances.
2007-03-09 15:53:35 · answer #1 · answered by cattbarf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its polar but it doesn't contribut hydrogens to hydrogen bonding. It best dissolves substances that are polar but not hydrogen bonding, or only weakly hydrogen bonding. So, for instance, heterocycles or organohalides. Because the unshared pairs on the oxygen of DMSO can hydrogen bond, DMSO is miscible in water. DMSO can act like a "bridge" between polar, non-hydrogen bonding substances and water. So something that might be only sparingly soluble in water might be miscible in DMSO or DMSO/water mixture.
2007-03-09 16:44:50 · answer #2 · answered by Toby 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋