Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a polar organic solvent. DMSO activated by various electrophiles (oxalyl chloride) has been used to oxidize various alcohols (primary, secondary, allylic, benzylic, hindered and bicyclic). Carbonyl compounds are formed as reaction products.

DMSO is used topically to decrease pain and speed the healing of wounds, burns, and muscle and skeletal injuries. DMSO is also used topically to treat painful conditions such as headache, inflammation, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and severe facial pain called tic douloureux.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method has been developed for detecting and quantifying dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) in water.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is also a solvent. It can dissolve both polar and nonpolar compounds and is miscible with water and other organic liquids.

DIMETHYL SULPHOXIDE HPLC