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U.S. Department of Energy
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Lanthanide/actinide separations with proton-ionizable lariat ethers

Conference ·
OSTI ID:126620
; ;  [1]
  1. Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX (United States); and others

Proton-ionizable lariat ethers are crown ethers with pendent ion-exchange sites. Such dual-function extractants provide both ion-exchange and polyether binding sites for metal ion complexation. A series of sym-(OR)-dibenzo-16-crown-5 compounds with R=CH{sub 2}CO{sub 2}H, CH{sub 2}P(O)(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5})OH, CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}P(O)(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5})OH and CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}SO{sub 3}Na have been prepared and their application as extractants in lanthanide/actinide separations explored. For solvent extraction of Eu and Am from moderately acidic aqueous solutions into chloroform, the lariat ether phosphonic acid monoethyl esters gave much larger distribution coefficients than did the lariat ether carboxylic and sulfonic acids. Subsequently a more lipophilic lariat ether phosphonic acid monoethyl ester was synthesized and utilized for the solvent extraction of Eu and Am into toluene.

OSTI ID:
126620
Report Number(s):
CONF-950402--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English