Copper extraction from chloride solutions with mixtures of solvating and chelating reagents

Equimolar mixtures of N,N,N',N' -tetrahexylpyridine-3,5-dicarboxamide (L) with 2-hydroxy-5-t-octylbenzophenone oxime or 1-phenyldecane-1,3-dione (HB), were used to extract copper from chloride solutions of various concentration of chloride ions. Chloride ions were then scrubbed out with water or ammoniacal solutions and copper was transferred from the solvate CuCl2L2 to chelate CuB2. Both studied systems permit effective extraction of copper and removal of chloride ions from the organic phase. Some protonation of solvating reagent L occurs, however, when copper is stripped from the chelate with hydroxyoxime. This negative effect can be suppressed when 1-phenyldecane-1,3-dione is used as a chelating agent. The scrubbing of chloride ions must be then carried out with ammoniacal solutions to avoid simultaneous stripping of copper.