Abstract
The solvent extraction of lanthanides(III) by some monoacidic and diacidic organophosphates with toluene diluent was investigated. The composition of the complexes prevailing in the organic phase was found to be dependent on the structure of the extractant and the atomic number of the lanthanide(III). No higher average separation factor between adjacent lanthanides than 2·9 can probably be attained, irrespective of the extractant structure. The structure, however, influences the broadness of the atomic number range, in which the maximum average separation factor is reached. The upper limit of this range is always ⩾ 70. The extraction efficiency of acidic organophosphates is related to the electronegativity of the substituents in the extractant molecule.
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