What is a common extraction solvent for organic compounds?

Diethyl ether is a common extraction solvent for organic compounds due to its favorable properties as a non-polar, low-boiling organic liquid. It effectively dissolves a wide range of organic materials while being immiscible with water, which allows for efficient separation of organic compounds from aqueous solutions. Its low boiling point facilitates easy removal after the extraction process, which is essential for isolating the desired organic compound without significant degradation or loss.

While hexane is also a viable extraction solvent mainly for non-polar organic compounds, it is generally less effective than diethyl ether when extracting a broader variety of organic compounds due to its higher boiling point and weaker solvent properties for polar substances. Water is primarily a solvent for polar compounds and is not used for extracting non-polar organic compounds, limiting its utility in organic extractions. Acetonitrile, while a useful solvent in certain contexts, is typically not employed for extraction in the same capacity as diethyl ether due to its different polarity and solubility properties. Thus, diethyl ether is recognized as a standard choice in organic extraction protocols.