Beryllium acetate, extraction

Beryllium is unique among the metal ions so far studied in that it is extracted as a tetrameric carboxylate, whose structure was thought to be similar to the tetrameric beryllium acetate. In the latter, four beryllium atoms are bridged by one oxo and six acetates (148). 

Basic acetate-chloroform test upon dissolving beryllium hydroxide (reaction 1) in glacial acetic acid and evaporating to dryness with a little water, basic beryllium acetate, BeO-3Be(CH3COO)2, is produced, which dissolves readily upon extraction with chloroform. This forms the basis of a method for separating beryllium from aluminium, since basic aluminium acetate is insoluble in chloroform. 

Beryllium has been determined [764] in non saline waters and in sea water at oceanic levels of 2.30pM. Two ml of 0.1M EDTA, 2ml of 1.0M sodium acetate, 1.0ml of benzene and lOOpl of l,l,l-trifluoro-2-4-pentanedione were added sequentially to 150ml samples. Following liquid-liquid extraction using detailed handling procedures, the organic phase was mixed with 1.0ml of 1.0M sodium hydroxide (de-emulsifier), washed several times with distilled water and the resultant beryllium l,l,l-trifluoro-2,4-pentanedione complex analysed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. 

Beryllium hydroxide or basic beryllium carbonate is stirred with glacial acetic acid to a paste and evaporated to dryness in a laboratory oven at 120 to 130°C. The crude product thus formed is extracted with glacial acetic acid in a Soxhlet apparatus (using a glass wool filter) after cooling, it crystallizes from the extract in well-formed octahedra, which are filtered off and dried at 130°C. 

---