Transport of alkali and alkaline earth cations by a crown ether-alkylphosphoric acid system

Abstract Competitive transport of alkali and alkaline earth cations has been carried out by using a mixed carrier system composed of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid. In the absence of crown ether, bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid transported alkaline earth cations with high selectivity. The combination of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid showed a synergistic enhancement in lithium transport, and the enhancement effect was not apparent in transport of other cations. On the other hand, the mixed carrier systems consisting of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, and of dibenzo-14-crown-4 and 1-bromohexadecanoic acid exhibited the enhancement effects both in lithium transport and in sodium transport. The formation of the synergistic complex was analyzed by using fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.