[sandmanou812]

I'm looking for something inexpensive that will easily bond with hydrocarbons but has a higher specific gravity than water.  I'm doing research on a chemical additive that would be insoluble in H2O and would increase specific gravity of hydrocarbons for the oil and gas industry for a research project.  I have looked at phenols (carbolic acid), but they seem to be to toxic for my purposes.  I also looked at DMSO, but any Ideas would be much appreciated!

[Yggdrasil]

Halogenated organic solvents (e.g. dichloromethane) are more dense than water and should dissolve in hydrocarbons.

[Transmutation]

Halogenated organic solvents (e.g. dichloromethane) are more dense than water and should dissolve in hydrocarbons.

I think you'll just get a triphasic layer with DCM/water/alkanes.  I've certainly seen it happen before in a separatory funnel.

Also, DCM is a suspected carcinogen.  If the toxicity of phenol is bothersome to him it is unlikely that DCM or other haloalkanes will be useful to him.