Effect of 1,10-phenanthroline on the extraction and separation of lithium(I), sodium(I) and potassium(I) with thenoyltrifluoroacetone Original Research Article

The extraction of Li+ with thenoyltrifluoroacetone (Htta) in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) has been studied in various organic solvents. The remarkable enhancement of the extraction of Li+, that is a synergistic effect, was observed by the addition of phen, and the high extractability of Li+ was attained in toluene, benzene, chlorobenzene and o-dichlorobenzene. The extraction equilibrium of Li+, Na+ and K+ (denoted as M+) in the presence or absence of phen in chlorobenzene and the adduct formation reaction in the organic phase were studied in detail. The adduct of Li+ was Li(tta)(phen) in the wide concentration range of phen in the organic phase, while in Na+ and K+ M(tta)(phen)2 also exists in the high concentration region. The maximum value of the separation factor between Li+ and Na+ was observed in the present system and was larger than that in the Htta–trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO)–benzene system reported previously.