Selected Alkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialkylcarbamoylmethylphosphine Oxides as Extractants for Am(III) from Nitric Acid Media

Abstract A new series of neutral bifunctional extractants, alkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialkylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxides, has been prepared and studied as extractants for Am(III) from nitric acid media. Two types of alkyl(phenyl)-N,N-dialkyl CMPO compounds were prepared, one containing N,N-diethyl groups and the other containing N,N-diisobutyl groups. The N,N-diethyl series contained hexyl(phenyl) and 6-methylheptyl(phenyl) derivatives, abbreviated HφDECMPO, and 6-MHφDECMPO, respectively. The N,N-diisobutyl series contained the n-octyl(phenyl), 6-methylheptyl(phenyl), and the 2-ethylhexyl(phenyl) derivatives, abbreviated OφD[IB]CMPO, 6-MHφD[IB]CMPO, and 2-EHφD[IB]CMPO, respectively. Third power extractant dependencies for the extraction of Am(III) from 0.5 and 3 M HNO3 were obtained at low (<0.25 M) concentrations of extractant, but higher power dependencies were obtained above 0.25 M extractant from 3 M HNO3. The HφDECMPO, 6-MHφDECMPO, 6-MHφD[IB]CMPO, and OφD[IB]CMPO [all 0.5 M in diethylbenzene (DEB)] are significantly better extractants than DHDECMPO for Am(III) from 1 to 6 M HNO3. These same extractants have lower D Am values than DHDECMPO at low acidities. HφDECMPO and OφD[IB]CMPO also have better selectivity for Am(III) over Fe(III) than DHDECMPO. HφDECMPO in DEB has a strong tendency toward the formation of a second liquid organic phase on extracting macroconcentrations of Nd(III) and U(VI) from 3 M HNO3; however, this behavior is substantially diminished with the OφD[IB]CMPO and 6-MHφD[IB]CMPO compounds.