Synergistic extraction of some divalent metal cations into nitrobenzene by using strontium dicarbollylcobaltate and electroneutral macrocyclic lactam receptor

From extraction experiments and $ \gamma $ -activity measurements, the exchange extraction constants corresponding to the general equilibrium M²⁺(aq) + 1·Sr²⁺(nb) $ \Leftrightarrow $ 1·M²⁺(nb) + Sr²⁺(aq) taking place in the two-phase water–nitrobenzene system (M²⁺ = Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, $ {\hbox{UO}}_{2}^{2 + } $ , Mn²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺; 1 = macrocyclic lactam receptor–see Scheme 1; aq = aqueous phase, nb = nitrobenzene phase) were evaluated. Moreover, the stability constants of the 1·M²⁺ complexes in nitrobenzene saturated with water were calculated; they were found to increase in the following cation order: Mg²⁺ < Co²⁺ < Cu²⁺, Mn²⁺, Ni²⁺ < Cd²⁺ < Ca²⁺ < Ba²⁺, Zn²⁺ < Pb²⁺ <  $ {\hbox{UO}}_{2}^{2 + } $ .