BENZOCROWN ETHER HYDRAZONES AS EXTRACTANTS FOR ALKALI-METAL IONS

Four types of benzo-15-crown-5 and benzo-18-crown-6 derivatives bearin g a substituted hydrazone moiety as a proton-dissociable chromogenic g roup were synthesized and the solvent extraction behaviors of these co mpounds for alkali metal ions were evaluated spectrophotometrically. B enzo-15-crown-5 and -18-crown-6 hydrazones with 2,4-dinitro-6-(trifluo romethyl)phenyl or 2,6-dinitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl groups extrac ted alkali metal ions predominantly as 2:1 and 1:1 (crown ether: metal ion) complexes, respectively, from an aqueous alkaline solution into 1,2-dichloroethane and these ligands exhibited high K+-selectivity. Th e composition of the extracted species and the K+-selectivity depended on the polarity of the extraction solvent used. In particular, 2:2 co mplexes of several alkali metal ions with benzo-15-crown-5 and -18-cro wn-6 hydrazones bearing a 2,4-dinitro-6-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl group were readily extracted from an aqueous solution into chloroform.