Cellosolve is a trade name for a group of solvents based on alkyl ethers of ethylene glycol, now widely used also as its generic name. These solvents typically have higher boiling point, together with the favorable solvent properties of lower molecular weight ethers and alcohols. The original Cellosolve is ethyl cellosolve.

Cellosolves can be also derived of diethylene glycol (carbitols). Acetates of cellosolves are a similar kind of potent solvents.

Cellosolve solvents include:

• Methyl cellosolve (2-methoxyethanol, CH₃OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Ethyl cellosolve (2-ethoxyethanol, CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Propyl cellosolve (2-propoxyethanol, CH₃CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Isopropyl cellosolve (2-isopropoxyethanol, (CH₃)₂CHOCH₂CH₂OH)

• Butyl cellosolve (2-butoxyethanol, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH), a widely used solvent in paintings and surface coatings, cleaning products and inks

• Phenyl cellosolve (2-phenoxyethanol, C₆H₅OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Benzyl cellosolve (2-benzyloxyethanol, C₆H₅CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Carbitol cellosolve (2-(2-ethoxyethoxy)ethanol, CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH)

• Butyl carbitol cellosolve (2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OH)

Dialkyl ethers:

• Dimethyl cellosolve (dimethoxyethane, CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCH₃), a higher boiling alternative to diethyl ether and THF, also used as a solvent for polysaccharides, a reagent in organometallic chemistry and in some electrolytes of lithium batteries

• Diethyl cellosolve (diethoxyethane, CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₃)

• Dibutyl cellosolve (dibutoxyethane, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂CH₂CH₃)

Esters:

• Methyl cellosolve acetate (2-methoxyethyl acetate, CH₃OCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃)

• Ethyl cellosolve acetate (2-ethoxyethyl acetate, CH₃CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃)

• Butyl cellosolve acetate (2-butoxyethyl acetate, CH₃CH₂CH₂CH₂OCH₂CH₂OCOCH₃)

Ethers | Alcohols | Solvents