Certain .beta.-diketones and the use thereof as metal extractants

Abstract

New .beta.-diketones of the structure ##STR1## where R is phenyl or alkyl substituted phenyl, R' is alkyl, alkyl substituted phenyl or chloro substituted phenyl and R" is H or --CN with the provisos that; (1) when R is phenyl, R' is a branched chain alkyl group of at least seven carbon atoms and (2) when R is alkyl substituted phenyl, the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl substituent or substituents is at least 7 and at least one such alkyl substituent is branched chain. Process of recovering copper and nickel from their aqueous solutions by the use of the new .beta.-diketones.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.