Studies on extraction of lanthanum(III), cerium(III), europium(III), thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) with 3-phenyl-4-acetyl-5-isoxazolone (HPAI)

Abstract

The extraction of lanthanum(III), cerium(III), europium(III), thorium(IV) and uranium(VI) from aqueous solutions into 4-methyl-2-pentanone (MIBK), containing 3-phenyl-4-acetyl-5-isoxazolone (HPAI), has been investigated. The mechanism of extraction and the species extracted have been identified. Extraction constants in each system have been calculated and compared with those of the corresponding systems using 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolone (HPMBP) and thenoyltrifluoroacetone (HTTA). It is found that, in general, HPAI extracts these metals better than HPMBP and HTTA. Solid complexes of these metals with HPAI have been isolated and characterized by using elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopic techniques.