Separation and recovery of ruthenium: a review

The chemistry of the noble metal fission product, ruthenium is very complex due to the existence of many oxidation states in addition to forming a large number of co-ordination complexes. In the PUREX process for the separation of U and Pu from the spent nuclear fuels from fast breeder reactors, owing to the high volatile nature of RuO₄ problems arise not only during the extraction stages but also in the treatment of high active liquid waste and subsequent vitrification. As this volatile RuO₄ can deposit in cooler parts, there is an increase in the radiation field due to the presence of ¹⁰⁶Ru. The problem is very acute in the reprocessing of fast reactor fuels due to the increased concentration of ruthenium in the spent fuel. In nitric acid medium Ru can exist in various nitroso nitrate complexes and nitroso complexes are more stable than nitrates. The nitrates are non-extractable by the solvent TBP; however, they are extractable to a higher degree by DBP (the primary degradation product of TBP). The extractability of Ru nitrates into the solvent is inhibited by high acid content, temperature and prolonged hold-up time. Nevertheless, these factors promote the volatilization of Ru as RuO₄. The volatilization is enhanced by the addition of phosphate ions, but is suppressed by phosphite or hypophosphite ions. Thus, it would be advantageous if ruthenium is removed so that not only the purity of the product (Pu) is improved, but also the problem related to volatilisation can be resolved. High molecular weight amines (tertiary amines) capable of forming co-ordinate bonds are reported to be ideal extractants for Ru. Gas phase separation is an effective method for the recovery of Ru from catalysts, lead button and from other platinum group metals. Separation and pre-concentration of noble metals can be accomplished from non-metals by simple sorbents like coconut shell activated carbon to complicated chelating resins, aromatic polymers and zeolites. In the electro-oxidation of active Ru from nitroso salts, Pd was found to interfere and removal of Pd prior to oxidation of Ru is recommended. Redox catalysts such as Ag²⁺ and Ce⁴⁺ are found to play a prominent role in the electro-oxidation of Ru. Though, various methods and extractants are reported in the literature for the separation of Ru, R&D is being pursued for the removal of Ru during aqueous reprocessing of spent fuels using extractants and methods which are conducive to plant conditions. Hence, an exhaustive survey of literature was made and the different methods reported for the removal of Ru with emphasis towards reprocessing applications are discussed in this report as a review. Attempts made by the authors in separating Ru from simulated waste solution are also included in this review.     

One-Step Hydroxylation of Benzene to Phenol Over Layered Double Hydroxides and their Derived Forms

Phenol, an important bulk organic compound, has diverse applications encompassing both industry and society. Commercially, it is produced through energy intensive three-step cumene process operating at relatively low yield with the co-production of acetone. Several attempts were made for producing phenol through challenging one-step direct hydroxylation of benzene using different oxidants like O₂, N₂O and H₂O₂. Liquid phase hydroxylation of benzene using H₂O₂ found to be more attractive due to its low reaction temperature and environmentally friendly nature (as water is only formed as by-product). The hydroxylation reaction occurs through Fenton’s mechanism; however along with phenol several other products are also formed due to higher reactivity of phenol compared to benzene. Our research group has been working on this reaction for nearly a decade using layered double hydroxides (LDHs) and their derived forms as heterogeneous selective oxidation catalyst. Screening of different LDHs having different metal ions in the layers revealed the necessity of copper for hydroxylation in pyridine. Addition of co-bivalent metal ion along with copper was made in an endeavour to improve the activity that revealed the promising results for CuZnAl LDHs. Efforts were then made to shift from pyridine to environmentally benign solvent, water, for this reaction that showed reasonably good yields with very high selectivity of phenol. Addition of small amount of sulfolane as a co-solvent increased the selectivity for phenol further. The reusability difficulty faced while using as-synthesized LDHs was overcome when calcined LDHs were used. Structure–property-activity relationships were deduced to understand the results observed. The present review besides covering our work also provides the state-of-art on this reaction using different oxidants with emphasis on H₂O₂.     

Chemical Fixation of CO2 and Other Heterogeneous Catalytic Studies by Employing a Layered Cu‐Porphyrin Prepared Through Single‐Crystal to Single‐Crystal Exchange of a Zn Analogue

A solvothermal reaction of Zn(NO₃)₂ ? 6 H₂O, tetra‐(4‐pyridyl)porphyrin (H₂TPyP), and 4,4′‐oxybis(benzoic acid) (H₂OBA) resulted in a new two‐dimensional Zn‐ porphyrin metal–organic framework compound, [Zn₂(C₄₀H₂₄N₈)_0.5(C₁₄H₈O₅)(DMA)](DMA)(H₂O)₆ ( 1 ; DMA=N,N‐dimethylacetamide). The Zn^II ions present in 1 could be exchanged by using a solution of Cu(NO₃)₂ ? 3 H₂O in DMA at room temperature to give [Cu₂(C₄₀H₂₄N₈)_0.5(C₁₄H₈O₅)(DMA)](DMA)(H₂O)₃ ( Cu∈1 ). The extra‐framework solvent molecules have been shown to be reversibly removed or exchanged without collapse of the framework. Solvent‐free Cu∈1 was explored as an active heterogeneous catalyst towards three different organic reactions: 1) the chemical fixation of CO₂ into cyclic carbonate at room temperature and 1 atm; 2) the nitroaldol reaction under solvent‐free conditions, and 3) the three‐component coupling of aminopyridine, benzaldehyde, and aryl alkynes followed by 5‐exo‐dig cyclization to produce the important pharmacophore imidazopyridine.     

Reactions of titanium(IV) isopropoxide with aliphatic and aromatic hydroxy esters,part I. 5-, 6-, 7- and 8-coordinate titanium(IV) complexes

Summary Reactions of titanium(IV) isopropoxide with ethyl 1-hydroxycyclohexylacetate, ethyl 2-hydroxy-2-arylpropionate, ethyl 2-hydroxy-2-arylbutyrate and ethyl 2-hydroxy-2-arylhydrocinnamate have been studied in dry benzene in different molar ratios under strictly anhydrous conditions. The Ti(OPr-i)₄-_nL_n type compounds, where L = hydroxy ester and n = 1 to 4, have been isolated and characterised by elemental analysis, molecular weight, i.r. and n.m.r. spectral studies. These products may be distilled unchanged under reduced pressure.Reprints of this are not available.     

Selective reduction of anomeric azides to amines with tetrathiomolybdate: synthesis of beta-D-glycosylamines

A number of beta-d-glycosyl azide derivatives undergo reduction on treatment with tetrathiomolybdate to produce the corresponding beta-d-glycosylamines exclusively without anomerization under very mild and neutral reaction conditions. Acetyl, allyl, benzoyl, and benzyl protective groups are left untouched under the reaction conditions. An exclusive selectivity in the reduction of anomeric azides is observed, while the C-2 and C-6 azides are left untouched.     

Bis-salicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine as an analytical reagent

Summary Copper has been determined gravimetrically as its bis-salicylaldehyde-ethylenediamine complex of the composition C₁₆H₁₄O₂N₂ · Cu, dried at 100–120° C. The complex is completely precipitated in theph range of 10.5–13.5, adjusted with ammonia or caustic alkali. It is stable in presence of excess ammonia, 0.1 N alkali, ammonium salts and complexing agents as tartrate, citrate, sodium-thiosulphate, fluoride, thiourea, triethanolamine and EDTA. In presence of tartrate and ammonia the ions of alkali metals, alkaline earths, Ag⁺, Tl⁺, Tl³⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, Pd²⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, La³⁺, Ce³⁺, Au³⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Zr⁴⁺, Th⁴⁺, UO₂ ²⁺ and anions as VO₃ ^–, MoO₄ ^2–, WO₄ ^2–, CrO₄ ^2–, PO₄ ^3–, AsO₄ ^3– do not interfere. Ni²⁺ and Hg²⁺ are masked by tartrate, EDTA and ammonia; As³⁺, Sb³⁺ and Sn²⁺ are separated using fluoride as the complexing agent; at an alkalinity of 0.1 N caustic alkali in presence of tartrate As³⁺, Sb³⁺, Sn²⁺, Bi³⁺, Zn²⁺ and Fe³⁺ are separated. Fe³⁺ can also be separated using triethanolamine as the masking agent at aph of about 13.0. Copper can be separated from almost all the ions, thus affording a highly selective method for the determination of copper.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird eine gravimetrische Methode zur Bestimmung von Kupfer beschrieben, die auf der Bildung des Bis-salicylaldehyd-äthylendiaminkomplexes beruht. Dieser hat die Zusammensetzung C₁₆H₁₄O₂N₂ · Cu. Die Fällung wird imph-Bereich 10,5–13,5 (mit Ammoniak oder Alkalilauge eingestellt) vorgenommen und der Niederschlag bei 100°–120° C getrocknet. Der Komplex ist beständig in Gegenwart von überschüssigem Ammoniak, 0,1 n Alkali, Ammoniumsalzen sowie Tartrat, Citrat, Natriumthiosulfat, Fluorid, Thioharnstoff, Triäthanolamin und ÄDTA. In Gegenwart von Tartrat und Ammoniak stören nicht: Alkalien, Erdalkalien, Ag⁺, Tl⁺, Tl³⁺, Pb²⁺, Cd²⁺, Co²⁺, Mn²⁺, Pd²⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺, La³⁺, Ce³⁺, Au³⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Ti⁴⁺, Zr⁴⁺, Th⁴⁺, UO₂ ²⁺ sowie VO₃ ^–, MoO₄ ^2–, WO₄ ^2–, CrO₄ ^2–, PO₄ ^3– und AsO₄ ³⁺. Ni²⁺ und Hg²⁺ können mit Tartrat, ÄDTA und Ammoniak maskiert werden, As³⁺, Sb³⁺ und Sn²⁺ mit Fluorid. In 0,1 n ätzalkalischer Lösung in Gegenwart von Tartrat können As³⁺, Sb³⁺, Sn²⁺, Bi³⁺, Zn²⁺ und Fe³⁺ abgetrennt werden. Fe³⁺ kann ebenfalls mit Triäthanolamin beiph 13,0 maskiert werden. Das beschriebene Verfahren erlaubt somit eine Abtrennung des Kupfers von fast allen anderen Ionen.

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Part I: Singh, B. R., and S. Kumar: Z. analyt. Chem. 185, 211 (1962).     

Characterization of a Polymer-Bound Palladium Acetate Catalyst and Studies on the Selective Hydrogenation of Dienes and Alkynes

Abstract

Palladium(II) acetate has been anchored onto a copolymer support containing pyridyl and carboxyl groups. XPS studies showed the Pd 3d binding energies for the recovered catalyst to be less by 1 eV after being used in hydrogenation studies. However, x-ray studies and a chemical test based on KCN treatment failed to reveal any palladium oxide or palladium metal formation in the recovered catalyst. It is presumed that an acetate ligand is lost during hydrogenation, which could be the reason for the lowering of the palladium 3d binding energies in the recovered catalyst. Results of investigations of the hydrogenation of olefins and selectivity of the catalyst toward the hydrogenation of dienes and alkynes are presented. The loss of palladium due to leaching under the reaction conditions employed was found to be very low (<1%/cycle).     

Preparation and Characterization of Some Substituted Benzyl N-Nitrosocarbamates Containing an N-2-(Methylthio)ethyl or a Bis(2-aminoethyl)sulfide Functionality

The synthesis and characterization of some substituted benzyl N-nitrosocarbamates with an N-2-(methylthio)ethyl or a bis(2-aminoethyl)sulfide functionality is reported, as a part of a long-term goal to design and prepare novel photolabile structures that could be used as substances for controlled release of alkylating and/or crosslinking agents. The synthesis was accomplished by reaction of benzyl chloroformates with the corresponding amines, resulting in the preparation of carbamates. The latter were subsequently nitrosated, utilizing two different N-nitrosation methods, to yield the target structures.     

Membrane introduction mass spectrometry

An overview of membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) is presented and comparisons are made with other direct sample introduction techniques. Special attention is given to the unique advantages and the limitations of newer variants on the MIMS technique, including affinity MIMS, reverse-phase and trap MIMS. The salient features of the interfaces used in MIMS are summarized and the various membrane materials commonly used are delineated. The applicability of MIMS is illustrated via discussion of

1. (i) bioreactor monitoring (represented by yeast fermentation),

2. (ii) environmental monitoring (illustrated by analysis of contaminated ground water samples) and

3. (iii) on-line chemical reaction monitoring (exemplified by the photolysis of aryl esters).

The applicability of MIMS to the analysis of environmental samples, including complex mixtures in water, air and soil, is noted.     

Metal‐Ion Metathesis in Metal–Organic Frameworks: A Synthetic Route to New Metal–Organic Frameworks

A porous metal–organic framework, Mn(H₃O)[(Mn₄Cl)₃(hmtt)₈] (POST‐65), was prepared by the reaction of 5,5′,10,10′,15,15′‐hexamethyltruxene‐2,7,12‐tricarboxylic acid (H₃hmtt) with MnCl₂ under solvothermal conditions. POST‐65(Mn) was subjected to post‐synthetic modification with Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu according to an ion‐exchange method that resulted in the formation of three isomorphous frameworks, POST‐65(Co/Ni/Cu), as well as a new framework, POST‐65(Fe). The ion‐exchanged samples could not be prepared by regular solvothermal reactions. The complete exchange of the metal ions and retention of the framework structure were verified by inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP‐AES), powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface‐area analysis. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffractions studies revealed a single‐crystal‐to‐single‐crystal (SCSC)‐transformation nature of the ion‐exchange process. Hydrogen‐sorption and magnetization measurements showed metal‐specific properties of POST‐65.