New xanthic acid derivatives containing the bisbutyl polymethylene gro
up were used for silver extraction in 0.1M NaClO4. Solvent extraction
results showed that silver extraction was established through 1:2 (sil
ver:ligand) complexes. The stabilities of the extractable complexes we
re determined based the length of the polymethylene chain between the
donor atoms and the presence of a neighboring functional group within
the structure of the ligands, as revealed by the K-ex values. The prob
able extraction mechanism (extraction and back-extraction) and interfe
rences are also discussed.