n Hexane (C6H14, CAS 110 54 3) is a straight-chain, highly non-polar hydrocarbon solvent refined to HPLC grade for use in normal-phase chromatography, pesticide residue analysis, food testing, and solvent extraction. Its low UV absorbance, high volatility, and chemical inertness make it one of the most widely used non-polar solvents in analytical laboratories worldwide. Lab Chemicals supplies n hexane to HPLC and spectroscopy specification with Certificate of Analysis, SDS documentation, and pan-India delivery in amber glass bottles, aluminium cans, and bulk formats.
n Hexane is the straight-chain (normal) isomer of hexane a six-carbon alkane where all carbons are arranged in a linear chain. Its non-polar character arises from the absence of any polar functional groups, making it immiscible with water and an excellent solvent for non-polar compounds including lipids, waxes, oils, alkanes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and non-polar pesticides.
n hexane formula: C6H14 | Molar mass: 86.18 g/mol | CAS: 110 54 3
The molecular formula C6H14 represents six carbon atoms fully saturated with fourteen hydrogen atoms in a linear arrangement. This structure gives n hexane its defining analytical properties: complete non-polarity, very low UV absorbance, high volatility with rapid evaporation, and chemical inertness toward most analytes and column stationary phases. The formula C6H14 is often searched alongside the CAS number 110 54 3 by procurement teams and analytical chemists confirming compound identity.
Note: C6H12O6 is the formula for glucose a completely different compound. n-Hexane (C6H14) and glucose (C6H12O6) share the same number of carbon atoms but have entirely different structures, polarities, and uses.
HPLC grade n hexane is specifically purified to remove UV-absorbing impurities, non-volatile residue, and water the three parameters that directly affect chromatographic performance. The grade distinction matters significantly for analytical work:
| Grade | UV cutoff | Non-volatile residue |
Suitable for |
|
HPLC & Spectroscopy |
~200 nm | ≤ 0.001% |
Normal-phase HPLC, UV/DAD detection, spectroscopy |
|
Pesticide Residue / Trace Analysis |
~190 nm | ≤ 0.0005% |
Pesticide residue, trace organics, GC-MS |
|
AR (Analytical Reagent) |
~210 nm | ≤ 0.002% |
General analytical chemistry |
|
LR / Technical |
Not specified | Not controlled |
Extraction, synthesis, industrial use — not for HPLC |
Always confirm the grade against your analytical method SOP before substitution. Using LR or technical grade in HPLC methods causes elevated baselines, ghost peaks, and column contamination.
| Attribute |
Specification |
| Appearance |
Clear, colourless liquid |
|
Odour |
Slight petroleum-like odour |
| Density |
Approximately 0.66 g/cm³ at 20°C |
| Flash point |
−22°C (closed cup) extremely flammable; Category 1 flammable liquid |
|
Evaporation rate |
Rapid leaves minimal residue; use in fume hood to prevent vapour accumulation |
|
Packaging |
Amber glass bottles, aluminium cans, HDPE containers, and bulk packaging options |
|
Storage |
Cool, well-ventilated flammable solvent storage cabinet; away from ALL ignition sources |
|
PPE required |
Chemical-resistant gloves, safety eyewear, lab coat; fume hood mandatory for bulk handling |
|
Neurotoxicity warning |
STOT RE 2 repeated inhalation exposure can damage peripheral nerves. Minimise exposure and ensure adequate ventilation at all times |
n Hexane is the primary mobile phase solvent in normal-phase HPLC (NP-HPLC), where it functions as the non-polar component of the mobile phase on polar stationary phases such as silica, amino, cyano, and diol columns. In normal-phase systems, n hexane is typically mixed with a polar modifier (isopropanol, ethyl acetate, or dichloromethane) in ratios adjusted to achieve the desired retention factor for the analyte of interest. It is used for the separation of lipid classes, fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), geometric isomers, and chiral compounds on polar chiral stationary phases where reversed-phase systems are ineffective.
n Hexane is the primary extraction solvent in pesticide residue analysis of food, agricultural commodities, and environmental matrices. It selectively extracts non-polar organochlorine, organophosphate, and pyrethroid pesticides from fatty and oily matrices in methods such as the QuEChERS modification for fatty foods and the EN 15662 and AOAC 2007.01 official methods. In food testing, it is also used for fat extraction (Soxhlet and accelerated solvent extraction), total fat determination, and lipid profiling. For environmental soil and water analysis alongside comprehensive soil testing kit workflows, n hexane is used to extract organochlorine pesticides and petroleum hydrocarbons from soil samples prior to GC-ECD or GC-MS analysis.
In gas chromatography, n hexane serves as the injection solvent for non-polar analytes its low boiling point (68.7°C) ensures complete evaporation in the GC inlet without leaving residue on the column. It is compatible with all common GC detectors including FID, ECD, NPD, and MS, and does not produce interfering peaks in most analytical windows used for environmental and pesticide analysis.
n Hexane is widely used in liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for partitioning non-polar analytes from aqueous matrices, as a Soxhlet extraction solvent for lipids and oils from solid food and environmental samples, and as a reconstitution solvent after evaporation in solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedures. It can also be used alongside dimethyl sulphoxide in certain sample preparation workflows where initial dissolution in DMSO is followed by partitioning into n hexane for clean-up of non-polar fractions.
n Hexane must be thoroughly degassed before use in HPLC to prevent bubble formation in the pump and detector flow cell its high volatility makes it more prone to outgassing than aqueous-based mobile phases. Use helium sparging or an inline degasser set to the appropriate temperature. When using n hexane in gradient normal-phase methods, allow extended column equilibration time between runs polar stationary phases equilibrate more slowly than reversed-phase columns. n Hexane mobile phases should never be used with reversed-phase (C18, C8) columns, which are designed for aqueous-organic systems and will collapse when exposed to pure non-polar solvents.
For methods requiring both normal-phase and reversed-phase analysis in the same laboratory session, keep dedicated column sets for each system and never cross-contaminate. When working with n hexane mobile phases, UV detector baseline drift is common during gradient elution this is normal due to the UV absorption difference between n hexane and the polar modifier at the analytical wavelength used.
Lab Chemicals has supplied HPLC solvents, analytical reagents, and laboratory chemicals to pharmaceutical manufacturers, food testing laboratories, NABL-accredited environmental testing organisations, and research institutions across India for over three decades. We supply n hexane to HPLC and spectroscopy grade specification with Certificate of Analysis confirming UV cutoff, non-volatile residue, and water content in amber glass or aluminium containers with inert atmosphere packaging. Our technical team can advise on grade selection (HPLC, pesticide residue, AR) for your specific analytical application and documentation requirements.
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