Potentiometric and UV-Visible Spectrophotometric Studies of the Stability of Thorium(IV) Complexes with (o-Hydroxyphenyl) Mono- and Di-Methylenephosphonic Acids

Protometric studies were performed in aqueous solutions at 25^C and 0.1 ,mol.dm⁻³ ionic strength (NaClO₄) to determine the complexing abilities of eight (o-hydroxy-phenyl) mono- and di-methylenephosphonic acids (differently substituted by chromophoric or auxochromic groups) towards thorium(IV). The number, the nature of the species present in solution, their overall stability constants over a broad acidity range and their individual electronic spectra, as resolved by computation, have been determined by potentiometry and UV-visible spectrophotometry.The formation of 1:1 species, partially protonated MLH_x and totally deprotonated [ML], as well as hydroxo species -- mononuclear ML(OH)_x and dinuclear M₂L(OH) _x is reported with thorium(IV). The results show that the complexing power, which is not very different in the lanthanide series, is much higher for thorium(IV). The ratio Th⁴⁺/Eu³⁺ reaches eight log₁₀ units with some of the ligands.