Separation of cations:

A few of the solvents generally employed for the separation of cations are mentioned below;

i) n-Butanol saturated with 3M hydrochloric acid: equal volumes of alcohol and acid are shaken together and the upper layer is used.

ii) Acetylacetone saturated with water: 7.5 mL acetylacetone is mixed with 0.05 mL hydrochloric acid and 2.5 mL dried acetone.

iii) Acetone containing 5% (v/v) water and 8% (v/v) hydrochloric acid

iv) Glacial acetic acid containing 25% (v/v) dried methanol

v) Methanol

vi) Methyl ethyl ketone containing 30% (v/v) water and 1% (w/v) potassium thiocyanate

vii) Methyl acetate containing 3% (v/v) methanol and 10% (v/v) water

viii) Pyridine containing 10% (v/v) water

ix) Dried n-butanol containing 40% (v/v) dry methanol

A solvent must be refluxed over appropriate drying agent such as potassium hydroxide for acetone and ethyl methyl ketone, or anhydrous calcium sulphate for n-butanol or as prescribed in literature.