Dimethyl formamide appears as a water-white liquid with a faint fishy odor having chemical formula HCON(CH3)2. It is widely used in industries as a solvent, an additive, or an intermediate because of its extensive miscibility with water and most common organic solvents.
| Appearance | Clear Liquid |
| Color (APHA) | 3.0 |
| pH at 25°C in 20% solution | 7.0 |
| Conductivity in 20% water @ 250C | 0.80 |
| Dimethyl Form amide Content (%wt.) | 99.98 |
| Water Content (%w) | 0.005 |
| Methanol Content (%wt.) | < 0.001 |
| Acidity as Formic Acid (mg/kg) | 4.0 |
| Base as DMA (mg/kg) | 1.0 |
| Iron ppm | 0.010 |
· Dimethyl formamide is commonly used as a solvent.
· It is used as a reagent in Bouveault aldehyde synthesis and also in Vilsmeier-Haack reaction.
· It acts as a catalyst in the synthesis of acyl chlorides.
· It is used for separating and refining crude from olefin gas.
· DMF along with methylene chloride acts as a remover of varnish or lacquers.
· It is also used in the manufacture of adhesives, fibers and films.
· DMF penetrates most plastics and makes them swell. Because of this property DMF is suitable for solid phase peptide synthesis and as a component of paint strippers
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