THE INFRA-RED SPECTRA OF URANIUM SPECIES IN CARBON TETRACHLORIDE SOLUTIONS OF URANIUM(VI), DIBUTYL PHOSPHORIC ACID AND TRI-NORMAL-OCTYL PHOSPHINE OXIDE

Abstract

Comparisons of the infra-red spectra of uranyl dibutyl phosphate polymer [UO2(DBP)2]n, tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide (TOPO), and dibutyl phosphoric acid (HDBP), for both the separate reagents and in combination in carbon tetrachloride, are consistent with the formation of UO2(DBP)2· 2TOPO, UO2(DBP)2HDBP·TOPO and UO2(DBP)2·2HDBP. The data imply that extraction of UO2+2 from aqueous solutions by combinations of tri-n-octyl phosphine oxide and dibutyl phosphoric acid dimer may be represented by the equations UO22+ + 2(HDBP)2 + TOPO ⇌ UO2(DBP)2·HDBP·TOPO + 12(HDBP)2 + 2H+UO22 + (HDBP)2 + 2TOPO ⇌ UO2(DBP)22TOPO + 2H+.Considerable hydrogen bonding between TOPO and HDBP occurs when these reagents are..