Crown ether uranyl halide complexes
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorDavid L. Tomaja
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Abstract
Uranium oxide is recovered from an aqueous solution of uranyl halides by extracting uranyl halide from the aqueous solution with an organic liquid, forming a crown ether uranyl halide complex in the organic liquid, and then contacting the uranyl halide crown ether complex with water, carboxylate ion, and light under suitable conditions. Also disclosed are certain novel crown ether uranyl halide complexes and their preparation. Also disclosed is the use of 18-crown-6 to selectively recover uranyl halide from a solution thereof containing other metal salts.
Claims45
A complex of:
- (A) a uranyl halide;
- and
- (B) a crown ether selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 and crown ethers wherein the cyclic ring consists of 4 to 10-O-J-units wherein J for a particular compound is (a) --CHR--CHR-- or (b) --CHR--CR.sub.2 --CHR--, wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl radicals having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or wherein at least one J is (b) and the remaining J's are (a).
A method for producing a uranyl halide crown ether complex comprising admixing in a suitable liquid a uranyl halide with a crown ether selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 and crown ethers wherein the cyclic ring consists of 4 to 10-O-J-units wherein J for a particular compound is ##STR3## wherein each R is independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl radicals having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or wherein at least one J is (b) and the remaining J's are (a);
- and recovering the uranyl halide crown ether complex.
A process for the selective separation of at least one uranyl halide from one or more nickel halides and/or copper halides comprising dissolving said at least one halide in a solvent in which a uranyl halide.-18-crown-6 complex is stable and admixing 18-crown-6 therewith under conditions such that a uranyl halide.18-crown-6 complex is formed, wherein said 18-crown-6 is in an amount no greater than the amount needed to complex all of the uranyl halide in the solution, and recovering the uranyl halide.-18-crown-6 complex that is formed.
A process for obtaining uranium oxide from an aqueous solution of uranyl halide comprising:
- extracting uranyl halide from said aqueous solution with an organic solvent which will permit the formation of recoverable uranyl halide crown ether complex;
- forming at least one uranyl halide crown ether complex by admixing with the organic solution of uranyl halide a suitable amount of at least one crown ether selected from the group consisting of dicyclohexyl-18-crown-6 and crown ethers wherein the cyclic ring consists of 4 to 10-O-J-units wherein J for a particular compound is ##STR4## wherein each R is indpendently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl radicals having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, or wherein at least one J is (b) and the remaining J'are (a);
- contacting said uranyl halide crown ether complex with water, carboxylate ion, and light under conditions sufficient to produce uranium oxide hydrate;
- and
- recovering said uranium oxide hydrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.