Abstract
Solvent extraction of molybdenum blue, which was formed by a reaction of phosphate with a mixture of molybdenum (V) (MO2O42+) and molybdenum (VI), was investigated spectrophotometrically. Molybdenum blue is extracted quantitatively into chloroform over the range of perchloric acid concentration from 0.31 to 0.71 M and over the range of tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride concentration from 6.00×10-2 to 1.32×10-1 M. The extracted species is very stable. The number of tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium bound to one mole of molybdenum blue at 0.31 M HClO4 was found to be about three. An absorption spectrum of molybdenum blue extracted into chloroform (λmax 830 nm) is different from those of molybdenum blue (λmax 840 nm) in an aqueous solution and of molybdenum blue extracted into methyl isobutyl ketone (λmax 800 nm).
