Extraction equilibria of various metal picrates with 19-crown-6 between benzene and water. Effect of the extra methylene group on extraction ability and selectivity

The overall extraction equilibrium constants (K(ex)) of picrates of Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+), Ag(+), Tl(+), and Sr(2+)with 19-crown-6 (19C6) were determined between benzene and water at 25 degrees C. The K(ex) values were analyzed into the constituent equilibrium constants, i.e. the extraction constant of picric acid, the distribution constant of the crown ether, the formation constant of the metal ion-crown ether complex in water, and the ion-pair extraction constant of the complex cation with the picrate anion. The effects of an extra methylene group of 19C6 on the extraction ability and selectivity are discussed in detail by comparing the constituent equilibrium constants of 19C6 with those of 18-crown-6 (18C6). The K(ex) value of 19C6 for each metal ion is lower than that of 18C6, which is mostly attributed to the higher lipophilicity of 19C6. The extraction ability of 19C6 for the univalent metal ions decreases in the order Tl(+)>K(+)>Rb(+)>Ag(+)>Cs(+)>Na(+)Li(+), which is the same as that observed for 18C6. The difference in logK(ex) between the univalent metals is generally smaller for 19C6 than for 18C6. The extraction selectivity of 19C6 is governed by the selectivity in the ion-pair extraction, whereas that of 18C6 depends on both the selectivities in the ion-pair extraction and in the complexation in water.