Polarity Index

1 of 2

http://macro.lsu.edu/howto/solvents/Polarity index.htm

Polarity Index
Burdick & Jackson solvents are arranged in order of increasing polarity index, a
relative measure of the degree of interaction of the solvent with various polar test
solutes.

Polarity Index (P)

Pentane
1,1,2-Trichlorotrifluoroethane
Cyclopentane
Heptane
Hexane

0.0
0.0
0.1
0.1
0.1

Iso-Octane
Petroleum Ether
Cyclohexane
n-Butyl Chloride

0.1
0.1
0.2
1.0

Toluene
Methyl t-Butyl Ether
o-Xylene
Chlorobenzene
o-Dichlorobenzene

2.4
2.5
2.5
2.7
2.7

Ethyl Ether
Dichloromethane
Ethylene Dichloride
n-Butyl Alcohol
Isopropyl Alcohol

2.8
3.1
3.5
3.9
3.9

n-Butyl Acetate
Isobutyl Alcohol
Methyl Isoamyl Ketone
n-Propyl Alcohol
Tetrahydrofuran

4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0

Chloroform
Methyl Isobutyl Ketone
Ethyl Acetate
Methyl n-Propyl Ketone

4.1
4.2
4.4
4.5

11/26/2014 11:41 AM

Polarity Index

2 of 2

http://macro.lsu.edu/howto/solvents/Polarity index.htm

Methyl Ethyl Ketone

4.7

1,4-Dioxane
Acetone
Methanol
Pyridine
2-Methoxyethanol

4.8
5.1
5.1
5.3
5.5

Acetonitrile
Propylene Carbonate
N,N-Dimethylformamide
Dimethyl Acetamide
N-Methylpyrrolidone

5.8
6.1
6.4
6.5
6.7

Dimethyl Sulfoxide
Water

7.2
10.2

Not included:

Ethyl Alcohol
Glyme
Isopropyl Myristate
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Triethylamine
Trifluoroacetic Acid

11/26/2014 11:41 AM