Sodium picrate effect on extraction of lanthanum and lutetium by aminophosphonate calix[4]resorcinarenes

Aminophosphonate calix[4]resorcinarene derivatives extract lanthanum and lutetium ions from aqueous solutions to chloroform much more efficiently than O,O-diethyl[(4-nitrophenyl)aminobenzyl] phosphonate does. In an excess of the metal ion in the aqueous phase with respect to the amounts of the extracting agent and sodium picrate, extraction occurs at the 1 : 1 molar ratio of the metal ion to extracting agent. In a twofold excess of the extracting agent and a considerable excess of sodium picrate over the metal ion, the composition of the extracted complex depends substantially on both the length of the alkyl substituent in the (AlkO)₂P(O) group in the extracting agent and the number of lanthanide.