Extraction of Nitric,Perchloric, and Hydrochloric Acid by N,N-dibutyl Diethyl Carbamyl Phosphonate

Extraction of nitric, perchloric, and hydrochloric acid by N,N-dibutyl diethyl carbamyl phosphonate in carbon tetrachloride was investigated. The data obtained are treated in terms of stepwise neutralization of the acid with the formation of species y · HA and y · 2HA in the organic phase, where y stands for the extractant and HA for the acid. The equilibrium constants, K?₁ and K?₂ for nitric acid were found to equal 0.24 ± 0.02 and 0.017 ± 0.005, respectively. In case of HClO₄ and HCl K?₁ were found to equal 0.031 ± 0.003 and 0.0039 ± 0.0005, respectively. A third phase was observed when extraction of HClO₄ was performed using acid concentration higher than 3.5 molar. The preference for partition of different acids was discussed on the light of the competition of the proton between the acid anion, water and the basic extractant as well as the degree of the ionization of different acids.