Dimethyl Sulfoxide (DMSO)
CAS 67-68-5 C2H6OS
- CAS number
- 67-68-5
- EC number
- 200-664-3
- Formula
- C2H6OS
- Molar mass
- 78.13 g/mol
- Appearance
- Clear colourless liquid, faint garlic note; freezes ~18.5 °C; hygroscopic.
- HS code
- 2930.90
DMSO is a highly polar aprotic solvent with an unusual combination of properties: it dissolves salts, polymers and most organics, it is miscible with water, and it carries dissolved solutes straight through skin. Synthetic chemists use it to accelerate SN2 reactions, cell biologists use it as the default cryoprotectant, and electronics manufacturers use it to strip photoresist. The same permeability that makes it useful as a topical vehicle is why glove selection matters more here than with most solvents. It freezes at around 18.5 °C, so drums arriving solid in winter are normal. Ehlinar supplies industrial through pharmacopoeial grades.
Applications
Grades & packaging
Technical/industrial ≥99.7%, ACS reagent, pharmacopeial USP/EP, and spectroscopy/electronic grades ≥99.9%.
- 250 kg steel/HDPE drums
- IBC (~1200 kg)
- ISO tanks
- Bulk (heated in cold climates)
How we supply
- Certificate of Analysis (CoA), lot-specific where available
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS / MSDS)
- Technical Data Sheet (TDS)
- Certificate of Origin / Certificate of Conformity
Independent third-party inspection can be arranged on request, with the agency and scope agreed per trade. Representative samples can be requested for qualification, subject to supplier availability. We recommend incoming quality control against the agreed CoA.
Quoted on standard Incoterms (e.g. EXW, FOB, CIF, DAP) as agreed per trade. Delivery region, packaging and grade are confirmed per quote.
Documents and services above are subject to supplier availability and confirmed per quote; nothing here is an offer.
Typical / indicative values — not a binding specification
| Property | Typical |
|---|---|
| Assay (technical/industrial) | ≥99.7% |
| Assay (spectroscopy/electronic) | ≥99.9% |
| Freezing point | ~18.5 °C |
| Hygroscopicity | Hygroscopic — keep sealed |
Also known as
Methylsulfinylmethane · Methyl sulfoxide · DMSO · Demasorb · Domoso
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between industrial and USP DMSO?
- It is the same molecule; USP/EP grade is tested against the applicable pharmacopeial limits for water, assay and heavy metals, whereas industrial grade is not.
- My drum solidified — is it spoiled?
- No. DMSO freezes at 18.5 °C. Warm it gently to re-liquefy; there is no loss of quality.
- How should it be handled?
- Keep sealed (it is hygroscopic), select gloves appropriate for a skin-penetrating solvent, and keep away from acid chlorides and strong oxidisers.
- What concentration of DMSO is used to freeze cells?
- Typically 5 to 10 percent in the freezing medium, with 10 percent the long-standing default and lower levels used where DMSO toxicity to a particular cell line is a concern. It works by permeating the cell and limiting ice-crystal formation during cooling.
- How quickly does DMSO pick up water?
- Quickly. It is strongly hygroscopic; open containers in ordinary laboratory air have been measured taking on several percent water by volume within an hour. Where water content is specified, that means small sealed containers and minimal headspace rather than one drum decanted repeatedly.
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Related products
Figures and identifiers here are compiled from public references and provided for general information; they are indicative, not a specification. See all products.