Abstract
Liquid–liquid extraction of metal ions using some 1,2,4-triazole Schiff base derivatives as new extractants was studied. Fe2+, Zn2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Cd2+ and Pb2+ were extracted from the aqueous phase into the organic phase and the extractability for each metal ion was determined by atomic absorption. Interestingly, a competitive extraction was also investigated and then examined at different pH in order to explore the effect of the different substituent groups on metal extraction. Accordingly, high selectivity towards Fe2+ (90.1%) and Pb2+ (94.3%) provided respectively by the presence of electron withdrawing group and electron donor group was attained. In addition, geometry optimizations of the ground and excited-states of the ligands in order to get better insight into the geometry and the electronic structure were carried out by means of DFT and TD-DFT calculations.
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•Liquid–liquid extraction of metal ions using eleven ligands 1,2,4-triazole Schiff base.•Determination of the extractability for each metal ions.•Investigation of competitive extraction at different pH values.•High selectivity towards Fe2+ (90.1%) and Pb2+ (94.3%).•Use of DFT and TD-DFT for electronic structure elucidations.