Triphenyl Phosphite, a Selective Extractant for Copper(I) Halides

Triphenyl phosphite dissolved in CCl/sub 4/ selectively extracts copper(I) from various halide systems. The influence of a wide range of halide ion, reagent, and copper concentrations, and the effect of temperature and diverse anions and cations have been investigated. In the range 0.07 to 0.15M halide ion and with a 10% reagent concen tration, distribution coefficients exceed 500 for KBr, KCl, and NH/sub 4/Cl systems, and 100 for NaCl and HCl systems. Reduction is accomplished by heating with ascorbic acid at 60 deg C; after cooling to 25 deg C, the extraction is accomplished in a single, 10-minute equilibration. The copper is easily stripped from the organic phase. From 0.003 mu g to 30 mg of copper per 5 ml can be handled with 5 ml of 10% reagent. (auth)