Recovery of uranium (VI) from concentrated phosphoric acid using bifunctional reagents

Here, the full synthesis of a novel family of “autosynergistic” molecules that contain a phosphoric acid group, similar to HDEHP, and a phosphine oxide group, similar to TOPO is described. These new bifunctional ligands were tested for the selective recovery of uranium(VI) from a 5 M phosphoric acid solution. The association of components of HDEHP and TOPO (a cation exchanger + a neutral donor) in a single molecule improves uranium extraction and its selectivity over iron in comparison to a synergistic mixture of the extractants.