METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING RARE EARTH METAL EXTRACTANT

摘要

A rare earth metal extractant containing, as the extractant component, dialkyldiglycol amide acid which is excellent in breaking down light rare earth elements is reacted in diglycolic acid (Xmol) and an esterification agent (Ymol) at a reaction temperature of 70°C or more and for a reaction time of one hour or more such that the mol ratio of Y/X is 2.5 or more, and is subjected to vacuum concentration. Subsequently, a reaction intermediate product is obtained by removing unreacted products and reaction residue, and an aprotic polar solvent is added as the reaction solvent. Then, the reaction intermediate product is reacted with dialkyl amine (Zmol) such that the mol ratio of Z/X is 0.9 or more and the aprotic polar solvent is removed. As a consequence, a rare earth metal extractant is efficiently synthesized at a low cost and at a high yield without having to use expensive diglycolic acid anhydride and harmful dichloromethane.