Separation of niobium and tantalum with benzo- and phenylacetylhydroxamic acids

Benzohydroxamic acid (I) or phenylacetylhydroxamic acid (II) is suggested for the quantitative separation of tantalum from niobium in an oxalate solution. The tantalum precipitate must be ignited for weighing; niobium is determined in the filtrate with another reagent. The pH range for complete separation is 4.0–6.4 for I and 4.5–6.2 for II. Single precipitation is satistactory for Nb: Ta ratios of 18 : 1 to 1 : 20 for I, and 8 : 1 to 1 : 23 for II. Titanium, zirconium, tartrate, citrate and a large excess of oxalate interfere.     

The selenide systems of niobium and tantalum

The selenide systems of niobium and tantalum were investigated under high pressures in the composition limits of MX₂ to MX₃. Two distinct phases, NbSe₂ and NbSe₃, were obtained in the niobium system. In the tantalum system, there were three phases, TaSe₂, “TaSe₃,” which has been thought of as a triselenide, and stoichiometric TaSe₃. The ratio of $\text{Se}\text{Ta}$ in “TaSe₃” was 2.8. Conversions of the triselenides under high pressure to NbSe₂ or TaSe₂ were observed at the starting composition of $\text{Se}\text{M}\text{= 2.0}$ and to “TaSe₃” at $\text{Se}\text{Ta}\text{= 2.8}$.     

Studies on precipitation and co-precipitation of tantalum and niobium from potassium fluoride solutions

Summary Precipitation and co-precipitation of tantalum and niobium from KF solution were investigated under various experimental conditions. Results obtained indicate that variations of HF concentration do not influence the K₂TaF₇ precipitation yield, but variations in KF concentration do. Niobium co-precipitation is mainly due to adsorption onto the surface of the solid phase. Chemical composition of the potassium tantalum fluoride was checked by neutron-activation analysis.

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Zusammenfassung Die Fällung und Mitfällung von Tantal und Niob aus Kaliumfluorid-lösungen wurde unter verschiedenen Versuchsbedingungen untersucht. Veränderungen der Flußsäurekonzentration beeinflussen die Fällungsausbeute an K₂TaF₇ zwar nicht, im Gegensatz dazu aber wird diese Ausbeute durch Veränderungen der Kaliumfluoridkonzentration beeinflußt. Die Niob-Mitfällung erfolgt hauptsächlich auf Grund der Adsorption an der Oberfläche der festen Phase. Die chemische Zusammensetzung des Kaliumtantalfluorids wurde durch Neutronenaktivierungsanalyse überprüft.

     

Trialkyl imido niobium and tantalum compounds: synthesis, structural study and migratory insertion reactions

Trialkyl imido niobium and tantalum complexes [MR(3)(NtBu)] (M = Nb, R = Me 2, CH(2)CMe(3)3, CH(2)CMe(2)Ph 4, CH(2)SiMe(3)5; M = Ta, R = Me 6, CH(2)CMe(2)Ph 7, CH(2)SiMe(3)8) have been prepared by treatment of solutions containing [MCl(3)(NtBu)py(2)] (M = Nb 1a, Ta 1b) with three equivalents of magnesium reagent. By an unexpected hydrolysis reaction of the tris-trimethylsilylmethyl imido tantalum compound 8a, a μ-oxo derivative [(Me(3)SiCH(2)O)(Me(3)SiCH(2))(3)Ta(μ-O)Ta(CH(2)SiMe(3))(2)(NtBu)] (8a) was formed and its structure was studied by X-ray diffraction methods. Reactions of trialkyl imido compounds with two equivalents of isocyanide 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3)NC result in the migration of two alkyl groups, leading to the formation of a series of alkyl imido bisiminoacyl derivatives [MR(NtBu){C(R)NAr}(2)] (Ar = 2,6-Me(2)C(6)H(3); M = Nb, R = Me 9, CH(2)CMe(3)10, CH(2)CMe(2)Ph 11, CH(2)SiMe(3)12, CH(2)Ph 13; M = Ta, R = CH(2)CMe(3)14, CH(2)CMe(2)Ph 15, CH(2)SiMe(3)16). All compounds were studied by IR and NMR ((1)H, (13)C and (15)N) spectroscopy.     

2-Methoxyethanol complexes of niobium and tantalum

The reactions of Et₄NMCl₆ and MCl₅ (M  Nb, Ta) with 2-methoxyethanol have been studied and complexes MCl₃(OCM₂CH₂OMe)₂ and Et₄N TaCl_5−x (OCH₂CH₂OMe)_x (x = 1,2) have been isolated, and characterised by i.r. and NMR spectra. The reactions of Et₄NMCl₆ with MeOH are also reported.     

Separation of niobium and tantalum with cupferron

An attempt to separate niobium and tantalum by cupfcrron was only moderately successful at pH 4.5 to 5.5 in the presence of a magnesia mixture as a coagulating agent. A more satisfactory separation of niobium and tantalum from each other, tried out up to ratios of 30:1 and 1.30, is effected with Sn⁺² or Sn⁺⁴ as a co-precipitating agent under the conditions described niobium can be separated, in the presence of complexone III, from almost all the ions except U, Be, Ti and PO₄^-3. Iron and other tervalent elements, when present in 100 fold excess with respect to niobium, require double precipitation The method gives highly satisfactory results when applied to the analysis of niobium in niobium-molybdenum stainless steel.The use of titanium as a co-precipitant is less successful than that of tin     

Formation of niobium and tantalum ylide complexes

The reactions of tri(bis(ethyl)amino)phosphorus ylide (Et₂N)₃PCH₂ with cyclopentadienyl (Cp) metal (V) tetrachloride CpMCl₄ (M = Nb 1; Ta 3) and pentamethylcycopentadienyl (Cp^∗) metal (V) tetrachloride Cp^∗MCl₄ (M = Nb 2; Ta 4) were investigated. The hexa-coordinate ylide adducts complexes 5 (CpNbCl₄(H₂CP(NEt₂)₃)), 6 (Cp^∗NbCl₄(H₂CP(NEt₂)₃)) and 8 (Cp^∗TaCl₄(H₂CP(NEt₂)₃)) with pseudo-octahedral geometry were structurally analyzed with X-ray diffraction. Compound 4 (Cp^∗TaCl₄) reacted with three molar equivalent of phosphorus ylide to form one ionic complex 9 ([H₃C-P(NEt₂)₃][Cp^∗TaCl₅]) which was also structurally analyzed with X-ray diffraction. The possible formation mechanism of compound 9 has been discussed.     

Separation of niobium and tantalum with n-benzoyl-n-phenylhydroxylamine

The use of N-benzoyl-N-phenylhydroxylamine for the separation of niobium and tantalum, allows a satisfactory estimation of niobium from a tartrate solution at an acidity of 2.0N. The pH range for complete precipitation can be extended to 6.5. For tantalum precipitation, the pH of the solution should be below 1.5 and the acidity may even be above 2.0N. At pH 3.5–6.5, niobium is completely precipitated and tantalum remains in solution; the latter is precipitated by lowering the pH. Niobium and tantalum in ratios of 1:16 to 100:1 can be separated by a single precipitation, in the case of a ratio of 1:100 precipitation must be carried out twice. Titanium, zirconium, vanadate and molybdate interfere with the determination of niobium though other ions have no effect in the presence of complexone III and tartaric acid. The precipitates are granular and easy to filter and wash. The time taken for a complete analysis is much less than that of other methods     

Trapping unstable terminal M-O multiple bonds of monocyclopentadienyl niobium and tantalum complexes with Lewis acids

Hydrolysis of [NbCp'Cl(4)] (Cp' = η(5)-C(5)H(4)SiMe(3)) with the water adduct H(2)O·B(C(6)F(5))(3) afforded the oxo-borane compound [NbCp'Cl(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2a). This compound reacted with [MgBz(2)(THF)(2)] giving [NbCp'Bz(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2b), whereas [NbCp'Me(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (2c) was obtained from the reaction of [NbCp'Me(4)] with H(2)O·B(C(6)F(5))(3). Addition of Al(C(6)F(5))(3) to solutions containing the oxo-borane compounds [MCp(R)X(2){O·B(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (M = Ta, Cp(R) = η(5)-C(5)Me(5) (Cp*), X = Cl 1a, Bz 1b, Me 1c; M = Nb, Cp(R) = Cp', X = Cl 2a) afforded the oxo-alane complexes [MCp(R)X(2){O·Al(C(6)F(5))(3)}] (M = Ta, Cp(R) = Cp*, X = Cl 3a, Bz 3b, Me 3c; M = Nb, Cp(R) = Cp', X = Cl 4a), releasing B(C(6)F(5))(3). Compound 3a was also obtained by addition of Al(C(6)F(5))(3) to the dinuclear μ-oxo compound [TaCp*Cl(2)(μ-O)](2), meanwhile addition of the water adduct H(2)O·Al(C(6)F(5))(3) to [TaCp*Me(4)] gave complex 3c. The structure of 2a and 3a was obtained by X-ray diffraction studies. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out to further understand these types of oxo compounds.     

The separation and determination of niobium and tantalum by partition chromatography

A procedure is outlined for the separation and determination of niobium and tantalum by paper chromatography. A mixture of methyl isobutyl ketone and hydrofluoric acid was used as solvent and the metals were detected by means of 8-hydroxyquinoline. The minimum amount of each element detectable is 20 μg.

The procedure was applied successfully to the quantitative determination of small amounts of niobium and tantalum in a steel.