Studies on the extraction of uranium by diamylamyl phsophonate

Among the phosphoric acid triesters, tributyl phosphate (TBP) is used as extractant in the PUREX process for the separation of uranium and plutonium from the irradiated nuclear fuel and for the extraction of a large number of metal ions. The extraction ability of the extractant depends on the basicity of the phosphoryl oxygen atom and the nature of the substituents attached to the P atom. The basicity of the phosphoryl group can be enhanced by replacing the C-O-P group by a direct C-P bond in the extractant. The basicity on the phosphoryl oxygen in the neutral organo phosphorus extractant series is found to increase as we go from phosphates - phosphonates - phosphinates - phosphine oxides