Synergistic Extraction of Trivalent Actinides by Mixtures of 1-Phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazolone-5 and Neutral Oxo Donors

Abstract

Abstract The synergistic extraction of trivalent actinides Am, Cm, Bk, and Cf with mixtures of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-pyrazolone-5 (HPMBP) and TBP or TOPO has been investigated in xylene at 30°C. With HPMBP alone, all four trivalent actinides form M(PMBP)3· HPMBP-type self-adducts. Bk(III) shows an abnormally high extraction with HPMBP alone. With TBP or TOPO(S) as neutral donor, except in the Bk/HPMBP/TBP system where Bk(PMBP)3· HPMBP·TBP was extracted, all metal ions were extracted as M(PMBP)3·S and M(PMBP)3·(S)2 into the organic phase. The equilibrium constants (β1, β2, and K 2 for the organic phase synergistic reactions have been calculated. The β1, β2 values for Bk(III)/HPMBP/TOPO system are much lower as compared to the corresponding values for other trivalent actinides. The reasons for this extraordinary behavior of Bk(III) have been discussed. The extraction behavior of the M(III)/HPMBP/S and the M(III)/HTTA/S systems has also been compared.