Final answer:
An ideal extraction solvent is characterized by being volatile, not non-volatile. It should have good solubility for the target compound and poor solubility for impurities, while also being immiscible with the other phase.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the characteristics of an ideal extraction solvent, the option that is not characteristic is being non-volatile. An ideal solvent should actually be volatile to allow easy removal of the solvent from the extracted compound after the extraction process. Important characteristics of an ideal solvent include good solubility of the target compound, poor solubility of impurities, immiscibility with the other phase, and not non-volatile but in fact quite volatile.
A good extraction solvent would allow the target compound to dissolve while leaving impurities behind and easy separation, as impurities and the solvent are immiscible. Additionally, the solvent should be volatile to facilitate its removal by evaporation after the extraction is complete. This is in contrast with non-volatile substances, which have high boiling points and do not easily evaporate; thus, they would not be removed easily from the extracted substances.