Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is widely used as a polar aprotic solvent in pharmaceuticals chemical synthesis laboratories and industrial processes. It is also used as a solvent for some medicines and biological samples.

DMSO helps dissolve a wide range of polar and non-polar substances and is useful as a reaction medium in chemical synthesis. In biotechnology it is commonly used as a cryoprotectant for preserving cells.

Dimethyl sulfoxide is a colorless clear highly polar organic liquid. It is miscible with water and many organic solvents and has a relatively high boiling point.