Potassium amyl xanthate (/pəˈtæsiəm ˌæmɪl ˈzænθeɪt/) is an
organosulfur compound
Organosulfur compounds are organic compounds that contain sulfur. They are often associated with foul odors, but many of the sweetest compounds known are organosulfur derivatives, e.g., saccharin. Nature abounds with organosulfur compounds—sulf ...
with the chemical formula CH
3(CH
2)
4OCS
2K. It is a pale yellow powder with a pungent odor that is soluble in water. It is widely used in the mining industry for the separation of
ore
Ore is natural rock or sediment that contains one or more valuable minerals, typically containing metals, that can be mined, treated and sold at a profit.Encyclopædia Britannica. "Ore". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Retrieved 7 April ...
s using the
flotation process
Froth flotation is a process for selectively separating hydrophobic materials from hydrophilic. This is used in mineral processing, paper recycling and waste-water treatment industries. Historically this was first used in the mining industry, wher ...
.
Production and properties
As typical for
xanthate
150px, Sodium salt of ethyl xanthate
Xanthate usually refers to a salt with the formula (R = alkyl; M+ = Na+, K+), thus they are the metal-thioate/''O''-esters of dithiocarbonate. The name ''xanthates'' is derived from Ancient Greek ''xanthos' ...
s, potassium amyl xanthate is prepared by reacting ''n''-
amyl alcohol
An amyl alcohol is any of eight alcohols with the formula C5H12O. A mixture of amyl alcohols (also called amyl alcohol) can be obtained from fusel alcohol. Amyl alcohol is used as a solvent and in esterification, by which is produced amyl aceta ...
with
carbon disulfide
Carbon disulfide (also spelled as carbon disulphide) is a neurotoxic, colorless, volatile liquid with the formula and structure . The compound is used frequently as a building block in organic chemistry as well as an industrial and chemical ...
and
potassium hydroxide
Potassium hydroxide is an inorganic compound with the formula K OH, and is commonly called caustic potash.
Along with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), KOH is a prototypical strong base. It has many industrial and niche applications, most of which expl ...
.
: CH
3(CH
2)
4OH + CS
2 + KOH → CH
3(CH
2)
4OCS
2K + H
2O
Potassium amyl xanthate is a pale yellow powder. Its solutions are relatively stable between pH 8 and 13 with a maximum of stability at pH 10.
Related compounds
*Sodium amyl xanthate is used in the separation of nickel and copper from their ores.
Safety
The is 90-148 mg/kg (oral, rat).
[Kathrin-Maria Roy "Xanthates" in Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 2005, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim.]
It is a biodegradable compound.
References
{{reflist
Salts
Organosulfur compounds