How does polarity influence choosing the correct solvent?
The polarity of a solvent will determine what type of compounds it is able to dissolve and with what other solvent it is miscible. In a broader sense, solvents can be classified as “polar” and “non-polar”. Non-polar reactants will dissolve in non-polar solvents while polar reactants will dissolve in polar solvents. There are three measures of the polarity of a solvent: Dipole moment, Dielectric constant & Miscibility with water. Solvents with a large dipole moments and high dielectric constants are considered polar. Those with low dipole moments and small dielectric constants are classified as non-polar.
