| Abstract
| - Reductive nitrosylation and complexation of ammonium pertechnetate by acetohydroxamic acid has been achieved in aqueous nitric and perchloric acid solutions. The kinetics of the reaction depend on the relative concentrations of the reaction components and are accelerated at higher temperatures. The reaction does not occur unless conditions are acidic. Analysis of the X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopic data is consistent with a pseudo-octahedral geometry and the linear Tc−N−O bond typical of technetium nitrosyl compounds, and electron spin resonance spectroscopy is consistent with a d5 Tc(II) nitrosyl complex. The nitrosyl source is generally AHA, but it may be augmented by some products of the reaction with nitric acid. The resulting low-valency trans-aquonitrosyl(diacetohydroxamic)-technetium(II) complex ([TcII(NO)(AHA)2H2O]+, 1) is highly soluble in water, extremely hydrophilic, and is not extracted by tri-n-butylphosphate in a dodecane diluent. Its extraction properties are not pH-dependent: potentiometric-spectrophotometric titration studies indicate a single species from pH 4 down to −0.6 (calculated). This molecule is resistant to oxidation by H2O2, even at high pH, and can undergo substitution to form other technetium nitrosyl complexes. The potential formation of 1 during reprocessing may strongly impact the fate of technetium in the nuclear fuel cycle.
- Ammonium pertechnetate is reduced and complexed by acetohydroxamic acid in aqueous nitric and perchloric acids under conditions close to those proposed for reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. The resulting hydrophilic Tc(II) nitrosyl complex, [TcII(NO)(AHA)2(H2O)]+, is not extracted by a solution of tri-n-butylphosphate in dodecane diluent. This reaction could impact or be exploited by nuclear fuel cycle separation schemes.
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