Colorimetric estimation and some physicochemical properties of purified Cyanex 272

A technique for the colorimetric estimation of purified Cyanex 272 has been developed. The technique consists of the digestion of pure sample or its aqueous solution with concentrated nitric acid (70%)–perchloric acid (70%) mixture for 1 h. The oxidizing mixed acid quantitatively converts Cyanex 272 to a clear solution of orthophosphate that can be easily estimated by the molybdenum-blue colorimetric method at 830 nm. The method is sensitive with a molar extinction coefficient of ∼2.6×10⁴ and reproducible within ±2%. Applying this technique of analysis, the dimerization constant (K₂), distribution or partition coefficient (K_d) and ionization constant (K_a) of the purified Cyanex 272 (bis-2,4,4-trimethylpentylphosphinic acid, BTMPPA) have been estimated to be 190, 53 and 5.52×10⁻⁴, respectively.