Excess enthalpies (H-E), at ambient pressure and T = 298.15 K, have been measured by using a solution calorimeter for the binary liquid mixtures of dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) with ketones, as a function of composition. The ketones chosen in the present investigation were methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and cyclohexanone (CH). The H-E values are positive over the entire composition range for the three binary mixtures. Furthermore, the (vapour + liquid) equilibrium (VLE) was measured at 715 Torr for these mixtures, of different compositions, with the help of Swietoslawski-ebulliometer. The experimental temperature-mole fraction (t-x) data were used to compute Wilson parameters and then used to calculate the equilibrium vapour-phase compositions as well as the theoretical points for these binary mixtures. These Wilson parameters are used to calculate activity coefficients (gamma) and these in turn to calculate excess Gibbs free energy (G(E)). The intermolecular interactions and structural effects were analyzed on the basis of the measured and derived properties. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.