EXTRACTION OF A CATIONIC COPPER(I)-NEOCUP ROIN COMPLEX AND BASIC-DYESINTO A DROPLET OF HYDROPHOBIC POLYOXYETHYLENE NONYLPHENYL ETHER

The use of polyoxyethylene nonylphenyl ether (PONPE) as a coordinative extraction solvent was investigated for the extraction of a cationic copper(I)-neocuproin complex and basic triphenylmethane dyes. PONPE, p ossessing two oxyethylene units (PONPE-2), is immisible with water, an d can be suspended on the surface of an aqueous layer as a droplet, wh ich is versatile as an extraction media for analytical purposes. The c ationic Cu(I) complex and basic dyes, such as Ethyl Violet, Crystal Vi olet and Malachaite Green, were quantitatively extracted into the PONP E-2 phase, even in the absence of bulky counter anions. Cationic dyes extracted into PONPE-2 showed a remarkable color change when protophil ic solvents were added. Dye species with a carbinol structure prevaile d in 1,4-dioxane media, while they disappeared in ethanol and restored the color. Thus, ethanol in 1,4-dioxane can be determined spectrophot ometrically.