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Chloroform (CHCl3) has a density of about 1.48 g/cm3 (1.4788 g/cm3 at 25 °C), roughly 1.5 times that of water. Its boiling point is about 61 °C and its molar mass is 119.378 g/mol. This page gives each value with the reference it comes from, so you can see why quoted densities differ in the third decimal place.
It is written for researchers and lab staff who need a number for a calculation or a data sheet. It is general reference information, not a safety procedure: handle chloroform according to your institution’s chemical hygiene plan and the supplier’s safety data sheet (SDS).
Density at different temperatures and bases
PubChem’s experimental-properties record for chloroform (CID 6212) lists three density values, each from a different handbook or agency and each stated on a different basis. They are consistent with one another once the basis is read.
| Reported value | Conditions | Cited source in PubChem |
|---|---|---|
| 1.4788 g/cm3 | 25 °C | CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 95th ed., p. 3-520 |
| 1.484 (relative density) | 20 °C referenced to water at 20 °C (“20/20”) | Merck Index |
| 1.4832 g/cm3 | 68 °F (20 °C) | US EPA, 1998 |
Two things explain the spread. First, liquid density falls as temperature rises, so the 25 °C value is lower than the 20 °C values. Second, the Merck Index figure is a relative density (a ratio to water at a stated temperature), not a density in g/cm3. Because water at 20 °C is very close to 1 g/cm3, the ratio and the absolute value are numerically near each other, but they are not the same quantity. For a calculation at room temperature, 1.48 g/mL is a reasonable working figure; for anything that depends on the third decimal, use a value stated at your own temperature.
Density in g/mL and g/cm3 are the same unit, since 1 mL equals 1 cm3.
Other physical properties of chloroform
The variants people search alongside density are answered together here. Each row names where the number comes from.
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Molar mass (molecular weight) | 119.378 g/mol | NIST Chemistry WebBook |
| Boiling point | 334.3 ± 0.2 K (about 61.2 °C); 61.12 °C | NIST Chemistry WebBook; CRC Handbook via PubChem |
| Melting / freezing point | 210 ± 2 K (about -63 °C); -63.47 °C | NIST Chemistry WebBook; CRC Handbook via PubChem |
| Triple point temperature | 209.61 K | NIST Chemistry WebBook |
| Vapor pressure | 197 mmHg at 25 °C | Boublik et al. (1984), via PubChem |
| Viscosity | 0.563 mPa·s at 20 °C; 0.510 mPa·s at 30 °C | Prager (1995), via PubChem (5.63 and 5.10 millipoise) |
| Water solubility | about 8 g/L at 25 °C (7.95 g/L reported); other sources report lower values | Mackay (1980), via PubChem |
Chloroform boiling point
About 61 °C. The NIST Chemistry WebBook gives 334.3 ± 0.2 K and the CRC Handbook value in PubChem is 61.12 °C; the two agree within their stated uncertainty. NIST also publishes Antoine equation coefficients for the 215 to 334.4 K range (A = 4.20772, B = 1233.129, C = -40.953, with pressure in bar and temperature in kelvin) if you need vapor pressure at a temperature other than the two tabulated above.
Chloroform molar mass and molecular weight
119.378 g/mol (NIST). “Molar mass” in g/mol and “molecular weight” as a relative number are used interchangeably in most lab contexts.
Chloroform melting point and freezing point
These are the same temperature for a pure substance: about -63 °C. The source values differ slightly (-63.47 °C in the CRC Handbook; 210 ± 2 K at NIST), which is within the NIST uncertainty.
Chloroform vapor pressure
At 25 °C the vapor pressure is 197 mmHg, roughly a quarter of an atmosphere. That is high enough that the liquid evaporates quickly from an open container, which is why chloroform work is covered by your lab’s ventilation and exposure rules. For the regulatory exposure values, see the guide to permissible exposure limits, TLVs and RELs in the laboratory.
Chloroform viscosity
Low: 0.563 mPa·s at 20 °C, falling to 0.510 mPa·s at 30 °C.
Chloroform polarity
Chloroform is a halogenated solvent that is only slightly soluble in water (about 8 g/L at 25 °C, with reports varying). This page does not give a dipole moment or a polarity-index number, because those depend on the scale used; consult the reference that matches the scale in your method.
Chloroform SDS: stabiliser and storage
Commercial chloroform is usually supplied with a stabiliser. The Sigma-Aldrich SDS for product C2432 (revision of December 2017, as listed in PubChem) lists 2-methyl-2-butene at 0.001 to 0.015 percent as the stabiliser. The Kirk-Othmer encyclopedia, cited in PubChem, notes that chloroform decomposes in sunlight in the absence of air and in the dark when air is present. Which stabiliser a given bottle contains, and its concentration, therefore changes from product to product. Always read the SDS for the exact grade you hold, and do not assume that a bottle labelled for one application carries the same stabiliser as another.
Why chloroform’s density matters in extractions
With a density near 1.48 g/cm3 against about 1.0 for water, chloroform is the denser liquid. In a simple two-phase mixture of chloroform and an aqueous solution, the chloroform-containing phase therefore settles at the bottom. This is the practical reason chloroform-based extractions are described with the organic phase drawn from below. The layering in a real protocol can differ when other components (phenol, alcohols, high-salt or high-sugar aqueous phases) change the density of either phase, so follow the layer identification given in the protocol. Our guides on phenol-chloroform extraction of DNA and TRIzol RNA extraction cover those workflows.
Common misunderstandings
- Density and specific gravity are not the same number. A “1.484” quoted without units is usually a relative density to water at a stated temperature. A “1.4788 g/cm3” is an absolute density at 25 °C.
- One value does not hold at all temperatures. Chloroform’s density changes with temperature, so a 25 °C value used for a 20 °C measurement carries a small error.
- A boiling point of 61 °C does not make it safe to heat open. It means chloroform boils below the boiling point of water and evaporates readily; heating is a ventilation and exposure matter, not just a temperature one.
- Stabilised chloroform is not a single product. The stabiliser type and amount are set by the supplier; check the SDS.
FAQ
What is the density of chloroform in g/mL?
About 1.48 g/mL. PubChem cites 1.4788 g/cm3 at 25 °C (CRC Handbook) and 1.4832 g/cm3 at 20 °C (US EPA).
Is chloroform heavier than water?
Yes. At roughly 1.48 g/cm3 it is about one and a half times as dense as water, and it is only slightly soluble in water, so it forms the lower layer in a simple chloroform-water mixture.
What is the boiling point of chloroform?
About 61 °C (334.3 ± 0.2 K at NIST; 61.12 °C in the CRC Handbook). Compare other common solvents in our toluene boiling point and hexane boiling point guides.
What is the molar mass of chloroform?
119.378 g/mol (NIST Chemistry WebBook).
What are the melting and freezing points of chloroform?
About -63 °C (-63.47 °C CRC Handbook; 210 ± 2 K NIST).
Which containers and plastics can hold chloroform?
Material compatibility is a separate question from physical properties; see the chemical resistance chart for plastics.
Sources
- NIST Chemistry WebBook, chloroform (CAS 67-66-3): webbook.nist.gov. Read 2026-11-07.
- PubChem, chloroform (CID 6212), experimental properties, which cites the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (95th ed.), the Merck Index, US EPA (1998), Boublik et al. (1984), Prager (1995), Mackay (1980), the Sigma-Aldrich SDS C2432 and Kirk-Othmer: pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Read 2026-11-07.
