Extraction of Americium(iii) From Chloride Media by Octyl(phenyl)-N,n-Diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine Oxide∗

The extraction of Am(III) from chloride media was studied using octyl(phenyl)-N,N-diisobutylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide, Oπ D(iB)CMPO or CMPO, dissolved in tetrachloroethylene. Although the extraction of Am(III) by 0πD(iB)CMPO is many orders of magnitude weaker from chloride than nitrate media, the rapid Increase in the mean activity of chloride in HC1 and in most soluble chloride salts with concentration makes extraction from moderate to concentrated hydrochloric acid and/or concentrated Li, Mg, Ca, and Al chloride salt solutions practical. The stoichiometry of the extractable chloro complex was established by extractant dependency and loading experiments and found to be AmCl3»3CMPO. Hydrochloric acid appears to be associated with the complex when extraction takes place at high HC1 concentrations. The mode of coordination of OπD(iB)CMPO to AmCl3appears to be bidentate in marked constrast to its behavior in the corresponding nitrate system.