Effect of Structural Variation within Lipophilic Lariat Ether Phosphonic Acid Monoesters on the Selectivity and Efficiency of Competitive Alkali Metal Cation Extraction into Chloroform

Lipophilic lariat ether phosphonic acid monoethyl esters with systematic crown ether ring size variation from 12-crown-4 to 24-crown-8 are utilized for competitive alkali metal cation extractions from aqueous solutions into chloroform. Effective alkali metal cation extraction from weakly acidic, neutral, and basic aqueous solutions is achieved. With 4, 5, and 6 oxygens in the crown ether rings, selectivities for Li(+), Na(+), and K(+), respectively, are observed. An 18-crown-6 phosphonic acid monoester exhibits excellent extraction selectivity for K(+) with K(+)/Li(+) and K(+)/Na(+) > 100. The lipophilic group attachment site, as well as the crown ether ring size, is shown to influence the extraction selectivity for the lariat ether phosphonic monoesters.