Functional Roles
Industries Served
Physical Properties
physical_description
Dimethyl sulfoxide appears as a clear liquid, essentially odorless. Closed cup flash point 192 u00b0F. Vapors are heavier than air. Contact with the skin may cause stinging and burning and lead to an odor of garlic on the breath. An excellent solvent that can transport toxic solutes through the skin. High vapor concentrations may cause headache, dizziness, and sedation.
color/form
Very hygroscopic liquid
odor
Distinctive garlic or oyster-like odor
taste
Slightly bitter taste with sweet after-taste
boiling_point
189.00 to 190.00 u00b0C. @ 760.00 mm Hg
melting_point
65.3 u00b0F (NTP, 1992)
flash_point
95 u00b0C (203 u00b0F) (Open cup)
solubility
Soluble in ethanol, acetone, ether, carbon tetrachloride, ethyl acetate
density
1.101 at 68 u00b0F (USCG, 1999) - Denser than water; will sink
vapor_density
2.71 (NTP, 1992) - Heavier than air; will sink (Relative to Air)
vapor_pressure
Vapor pressure, Pa at 20 u00b0C: 59.4
logp
-1.35 (calculated)
henry's_law_constant
Henry's Law constant = 1.031X10-8 atm-cu m/mol at 25 u00b0C
autoignition_temperature
419 u00b0F (USCG, 1999)
decomposition
When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of /sulfur oxides/.
viscosity
1.95 mmu00c2u00b2/s at 20 u00b0C
heat_of_combustion
-10,890 Btu/lb = -6050 Cal/g
heat_of_vaporization
47.3 kJ/mol at 70 u00b0C
refractive_index
Index of refraction: 1.4783 at 20 u00b0C/D
dissociation_constants
pKa = 35.1
kovats_retention_index
820.1
other_experimental_properties
Very hygroscopic; dielectric constant: 45. Specific heat 0.4698 calorie/g at 25 u00b0C
GHS / SDS Safety
Warning
Irritant
Health Hazard
- H335 (13.8%): May cause respiratory irritation [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure; Respiratory tract irritation]
- H371: May cause damage to organs [Warning Specific target organ toxicity, single exposure]
- H319 (33.6%): Causes serious eye irritation [Warning Serious eye damage/eye irritation]
- H315 (28.4%): Causes skin irritation [Warning Skin corrosion/irritation]
- H227: Combustible liquid [Warning Flammable liquids]
Chemical Identity
| CAS Number | 67-68-5 |
| IUPAC Name | methylsulfinylmethane |
| InChI Key | IAZDPXIOMUYVGZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| PubChem CID | 679 |
| INCI Name | DMSO |
Synonyms & Trade Names
Full Description
Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO) is an organic sulfur compound that functions as an anionic surfactant providing detergency, cleaning, and wetting properties. This versatile solvent serves critical applications across agriculture, HI&I cleaning, industrial manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries. DMSO exhibits excellent solubility characteristics in multiple organic solvents and maintains a low flash point of 95°C, making it suitable for controlled industrial processes.