Aqueous-Organic Biphasic Systems. Extraction of organic compounds

Abstract

Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) is a method of separation based on the distribution of a compound between two essentially immiscible solvents. Extraction procedures are carried out for two main reasons. An exhaustive extraction intends the quantitative removal of the compound from the donor phase, whereas a selective extraction intends the separation of two compounds. LLE occupies a prominent position in the extraction of organic compounds from liquids in research laboratories and in many industrial processes. The simplicity, speed, and convenience of this technique are the main reasons for the popularity. This chapter focuses on the background theory for the extraction of organic compounds between an aqueous solution and an organic solvent, the selection of solvents based on prediction models, and the most relevant working conditions to optimize the extraction efficiency.