Solvent · polar aprotic
N,N-Dimethylformamide C3H7NO
Also: DMF
Strong polar aprotic solvent used in HPLC/GC to dissolve difficult samples and polymers; common mobile phase / eluent for GPC-SEC (polymer characterization); sample diluent and dissolution medium (e.g., USP <467> Class 2 standard stock preparation). High 268 nm UV cutoff and high refractive index limit its use as a mobile phase for low-UV or RI detection; high boiling point (153 C) suits it as a GC sample solvent.
Compiled by Hemant RawatLast reviewed July 2026How we verify
Properties
- Formula
- C3H7NO
- CAS number
- 68-12-2
- UV cutoff
- 268 nm
- Snyder polarity index (P′)
- 6.4
- Selectivity group
- III
- Eluotropic strength ε° (silica)
- —
- Boiling point
- 153 °C
- Viscosity (25 °C)
- 0.92 cP
- Refractive index (nD²⁰)
- 1.4305
- Density
- 0.944 g/mL
- Water miscibility
- miscible
- USP <467> class
- Class 2
Safety
- flammable
- reprotoxic (H360D - may damage the unborn child)
- toxic/harmful by inhalation and skin contact
- hepatotoxic
- eye/skin irritant
Reference only. Solvents can be flammable, toxic, or peroxide-forming. Always consult the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and your lab's protocols before handling.
What N,N-Dimethylformamide mixes with
Miscible with: 1-Propanol, 1,2-Dichloroethane, 1,4-Dioxane, 2-Propanol, Acetic acid, Acetone, Acetonitrile, Benzene, Carbon tetrachloride, Chloroform, Dichloromethane, Diethyl ether, Dimethyl sulfoxide, Ethanol, Ethyl acetate, Methanol, Methyl ethyl ketone, Methyl isobutyl ketone, MTBE, n-Butanol, n-Butyl acetate, N-Methylpyrrolidone, N,N-Dimethylacetamide, Pyridine, tert-Butanol, Tetrahydrofuran, Toluene, Triethylamine, Water.
Partially miscible with: Cyclohexane, Iso-octane, n-Heptane, n-Hexane, n-Pentane — mix only over a limited range.
Check any specific pair on the interactive miscibility chart.
Using N,N-Dimethylformamide in HPLC/GC
Strong polar aprotic solvent used in HPLC/GC to dissolve difficult samples and polymers; common mobile phase / eluent for GPC-SEC (polymer characterization); sample diluent and dissolution medium (e.g., USP <467> Class 2 standard stock preparation). High 268 nm UV cutoff and high refractive index limit its use as a mobile phase for low-UV or RI detection; high boiling point (153 C) suits it as a GC sample solvent.
Its Snyder polarity index is 6.4 (selectivity group III), and its UV cutoff of 268 nm limits low-wavelength UV detection.See what the polarity index means and the full UV cutoff table.
Sources
- University of Toronto (TRACES) — Burdick & Jackson — Solvent UV cutoff table (absorbance = 1 AU, 1 cm cell)
- Stenutz / L. R. Snyder — Solvent polarity index (P′) and selectivity groups
- NIST — Chemistry WebBook — thermophysical properties (BP, density, refractive index)
- PubChem (NIH/NLM) — Compound property records (physical constants, CAS, formula)
- USP <467> / ICH Q3C — Residual Solvents — solvent classification (Class 1/2/3)
Values are compiled from public references and were last verified July 2026. See ourmethodologyfor how we source and verify. Always confirm critical values against primary references and the SDS.