In chemistry, a protic solvent is a solvent that has a hydrogen atom bound to an oxygen (as in a hydroxyl group −OH), a nitrogen (as in an amine group −NH2 or −NH−), or fluoride (as in hydrogen fluoride).
The molecules of such solvents readily donate protons (H+) to solutes, often via hydrogen bonding.
Water is the most common protic solvent.
Conversely, polar aprotic solvents cannot donate protons but still have the ability to dissolve many salts.
[1][2] Methods for purification of common solvents are available[3]