Why is propanone used as the extraction solvent in thin layer chromatography?

Propanone, also known as acetone, is commonly used as an extraction solvent in thin-layer chromatography (TLC) primarily because of its ability to dissolve a wide range of organic compounds. This property is critical in TLC, where the goal is to separate and analyze different substances present in a mixture.

When compounds are added to a TLC plate, the choice of solvent impacts how those compounds interact with the stationary phase (the material coated on the TLC plate) and the mobile phase (the solvent). The fact that many pigments and other organic compounds are soluble in propanone makes it an effective medium for extracting and separating these substances during the chromatography process.

Using a solvent that can dissolve all the relevant components ensures that the full range of sample components can be analyzed, which is essential for achieving optimal separation. If a solvent does not dissolve all components adequately, certain pigments might not be represented on the TLC plate, leading to incomplete or misleading analytical results.

The other options do not capture the essential reason for propanone's effectiveness in this context. While rapid evaporation, availability, and resolution are relevant factors in some contexts, they do not specifically address the core requirement of solubility for the extraction of a diverse range of pigments and compounds in