Solvent crystallization is the main method used for preparing anthracene and carbazole from the crude anthracene. The key to the optimization of this method is improving the solubility selectivity of the solvent by means of solvent modulating and process optimization. In this study, the solubility of anthracene, phenanthrene, and carbazole in xylene, dimethylformamide (DMF), DMF with amine/amide, isopropanolamine, and chlorobenzene is examined and the solid-liquid ternary anthracene-carbazole-DMF/(DMF+19.96% isopropanolamine) system phase diagram is determined and applied in the solvent crystallization process. The results showed that the solubility selectivity of xylene increases with increased temperature. Also, selectivity increases with an increase of the amount of isopropanolamine in the mixture of DMF and isopropanolamine, while decreases with increased temperature. Through multiple washings of crude anthracene with xylene, DMF+19.96% isopropanolamine, and chlorobenzene, it was possible to obtain anthracene and carbazole of purity higher than 98 wt %. (c) 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 275-281, 2014