<p>The complex formation of the neodymium Nd<sup>3+</sup> ion and the samarium Sm<sup>3+</sup> ion with L-malic acid (H<sub>3</sub>Mal) in the aqueous solutions was studied by pH-metric titration in pH region 2.80 to 10.00 and constant ionic strength 0.1 M KCl at 25°C. The ratios of the concentrations of the rare-earth elements (Ln) and the L-malic acid were 1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:2. The number of experimental points of each curve of pH-metric titration was 160-190 at 5-6 independent titrations. Inasmuch as the literature data give mainly the dissociation constants for the racemic DL-malic acid, acid-base equilibria of L-malic acid at ionic strength of 0.1 M KCl were also previously studied in pH 3.1-11.0 range. The number of experimental points for the each titration curve of L-malic acid was 70-100 at 8 independent titrations. The dissociation constants of Lmalic acid were calculated. The compositions and the stability constants of the rare-earth element complexes with L-malic acid were calculated by SuperQuad program for complex equilibria. It was shown, that in addition to 1:1 and 1:2 complexes with differently deprotonated L-malic acid, the hydroxocomplexes and protonated complexes of the rare-earth elements are also formed. The difference of the complex formation of the Sm<sup>3+</sup> ion with Lmalic acid as compared to the Nd<sup>3+</sup> ion was discussed.</p>
The Difference of the Complex Formation of the Samarium (3+) Ion with the L-malic Acid as Compared to the Neodymium (3+) Ion
