Anhydrous Acetate Research Articles

Preparation of some basic and anhydrous rare earth acetates. Their properties and reactions in acetic acid as solvent

Solutions of rare earth oxides in anhydrous acetic acid represent metastable systems from which hydroxo-acetates, Ln 2(OH) 3(OAc) 3·2HOAc, gradually precipitate. Presence of equivalent amounts of acetic anhydride causes formation of so-called basic acetates which are best represented as binuclear oxo-complexes with the type formula, Ln 2O(OAc) 4·2HOAc (where Ln = La, Nd, Sm). The anhydrous acetates were prepared by refluxing the oxides with acetic anhydride. The solubility of neodymium acetate in acetic acid increases markedly in the presence of potassium acetate to form a negatively charged complex ion, suggesting that the anhydrous rare earth acetates exhibit amphoteric characteristics in acetic acid. Conductometric titrations of solutions of the oxo- and anhydrous acetates in acetic acid with various acids show complete neutralization only with perchloric acid; with sulphuric and oxalic acids, minima correspond to formation of insoluble 1 : 1 compounds (moles acid per mole rare earth); with phosphoric and citric acids, maxima suggest formation of soluble 1 : 1 compounds, followed by minima corresponding to insoluble compounds with 3 : 2 and 2 : 1 mole ratios, respectively.

Investigations in non-aqueous solvents

In investigations preliminary to the study of the electrolysis of certain rare earth metal and thorium salts in anhydrous basic solvents, it was found that anhydrous acetates of La+3, Ce+3 and Th+4 are moderately soluble in anhydrous ethylenediamine. The resulting solutions show the conductance behaviour of weak electrolytes. Cerium (III) acetate solution in ethylenediamine undergoes oxidation in air to cerium (IV).

A New Method for the Preparation of Anhydrous Acetates

A New Method for the Preparation of Anhydrous Acetates