What is methylene chloride's polarity?

Methylene chloride, often called dichloromethane, has a rating of 3.1 on the polarity index. This is somewhat higher than many other organic solvents, especially petroleum-based solvents, but it is still low enough that methylene chloride is not miscible with water, which has a polarity rating of 10.2.

Methylene chloride is considered a polar solvent, but it is one that's able to occupy the ground between very polar solvents, such as water, and very nonpolar compounds such as hexane. Many other properties make methylene chloride desirable for use as a partially polar solvent, notably its low boiling point and its volatility.