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The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam

Polyurethane foam (polyether based) has been found to efficiently extract rhodium from hydrochloric acid solutions containing stannous chloride. The amount of rhodium extracted is significantly influenced by inter alia temperature, acid concentration, the Sn(II):Rh mol ratio and the presence of alka...

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Main Author: Hall, Iris
Other Authors: Koch, Klaus R
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Chemistry 2016
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access_status_str Open Access
author Hall, Iris
author2 Koch, Klaus R
author_browse Hall, Iris
Koch, Klaus R
author_facet Koch, Klaus R
Hall, Iris
author_sort Hall, Iris
collection Thesis
description Polyurethane foam (polyether based) has been found to efficiently extract rhodium from hydrochloric acid solutions containing stannous chloride. The amount of rhodium extracted is significantly influenced by inter alia temperature, acid concentration, the Sn(II):Rh mol ratio and the presence of alkali metal cations. The extraction efficiency is promoted by increased acid concentration and high Sn(II):Rh ratios. The presence of K⁺ inhibits the extraction of rhodium, while the effect of Li⁺ and Na⁺ is small. A series of model urethane compounds (diurethane podands and linear polyurethanes) have been synthesized and characterized. These model compounds allowed the direct determination of the extracted trichlorostannato·rhodium complex anions by ¹¹⁹Sn nmr spectroscopy. Conditions favouring the formation of [Rh(SnCl₃)₅]⁴⁻ were found to result in the extraction of increased amounts of rhodium. The predominant species in the urethane phase was identified as the hydrido complex, [RhH(SnCl₃)₅]³⁻, which is formed by protonation of [Rh(SnCl₃)₅]⁴⁻. The protonation reaction has been shown to be reversible. The ¹¹⁹Sn nmr study showed the formation of a new rhodium-hydrido complex formulated to be [RhH(SnCl₃)₄Cl]³⁻. In the presence of low tin(II) concentrations {Sn(II):Rh = 4:1}, [Rh(SnCl₃)₃Cl₃]³⁻ is predominantly extracted by the foam phase. Analysis of the acid-decomposed polyurethane foam phase by atomic absorption spectroscopy and of the model urethane compound phase by ⁷Li nmr spectroscopy, confirmed the extraction of alkali metal cations from aqueous solutions containing alkali metal salts. Our studies indicate that the polyether chains of polyuretha foam playa major role in the extraction process, and that the flexibility of the chains influences the efficiency of polyurethane foam as an extractant. The creation of cationic sites within the foam matrix, which facilitate the extraction of the rhodium-tin complex anions, is postulated to occur by protonation of the donor oxygen atoms as well as by chelation of cations such as H₃O⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ by the polyether chains. A working model for the extraction of the trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam is proposed.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:41.762Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2016
publishDateRange 2016
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publisher Department of Chemistry
publisherStr Department of Chemistry
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/22135 The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam Hall, Iris Koch, Klaus R Chemistry Polyurethane foam (polyether based) has been found to efficiently extract rhodium from hydrochloric acid solutions containing stannous chloride. The amount of rhodium extracted is significantly influenced by inter alia temperature, acid concentration, the Sn(II):Rh mol ratio and the presence of alkali metal cations. The extraction efficiency is promoted by increased acid concentration and high Sn(II):Rh ratios. The presence of K⁺ inhibits the extraction of rhodium, while the effect of Li⁺ and Na⁺ is small. A series of model urethane compounds (diurethane podands and linear polyurethanes) have been synthesized and characterized. These model compounds allowed the direct determination of the extracted trichlorostannato·rhodium complex anions by ¹¹⁹Sn nmr spectroscopy. Conditions favouring the formation of [Rh(SnCl₃)₅]⁴⁻ were found to result in the extraction of increased amounts of rhodium. The predominant species in the urethane phase was identified as the hydrido complex, [RhH(SnCl₃)₅]³⁻, which is formed by protonation of [Rh(SnCl₃)₅]⁴⁻. The protonation reaction has been shown to be reversible. The ¹¹⁹Sn nmr study showed the formation of a new rhodium-hydrido complex formulated to be [RhH(SnCl₃)₄Cl]³⁻. In the presence of low tin(II) concentrations {Sn(II):Rh = 4:1}, [Rh(SnCl₃)₃Cl₃]³⁻ is predominantly extracted by the foam phase. Analysis of the acid-decomposed polyurethane foam phase by atomic absorption spectroscopy and of the model urethane compound phase by ⁷Li nmr spectroscopy, confirmed the extraction of alkali metal cations from aqueous solutions containing alkali metal salts. Our studies indicate that the polyether chains of polyuretha foam playa major role in the extraction process, and that the flexibility of the chains influences the efficiency of polyurethane foam as an extractant. The creation of cationic sites within the foam matrix, which facilitate the extraction of the rhodium-tin complex anions, is postulated to occur by protonation of the donor oxygen atoms as well as by chelation of cations such as H₃O⁺, Li⁺, Na⁺ and K⁺ by the polyether chains. A working model for the extraction of the trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam is proposed. 2016-10-14T06:27:19Z 2016-10-14T06:27:19Z 1990 Doctoral Thesis Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22135 eng application/pdf Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Chemistry
Hall, Iris
The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
thesis_degree_str Doctoral
title The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
title_full The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
title_fullStr The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
title_full_unstemmed The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
title_short The extraction of trichlorostannato-rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
title_sort extraction of trichlorostannato rhodium complexes by polyurethane foam
topic Chemistry
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22135
work_keys_str_mv AT halliris theextractionoftrichlorostannatorhodiumcomplexesbypolyurethanefoam
AT halliris extractionoftrichlorostannatorhodiumcomplexesbypolyurethanefoam