Abstract: Selective transport of metaLIons across liquid membrane can be achieved by using calixarene derivatives with recognition groups. Four new calix[4] crowns, in this work, were examined for the transport of transition metaLIons such as Cu ²⁺ , Fe ³⁺ , Co ²⁺ , Ni ²⁺ and Zn ²⁺ . It was found that one of these calix crowns, 25,27-dihydroxy-26,28-(3',6'-dioxa-2',7'-dioxooctylene)dioxycalixarene (Ⅲ), transported efficiently Cu ²⁺ . Various factors affecting the transport of Cu ²⁺ with Ⅲ were investigateDIn detail, including source phase and receiving phase's acidities, carrier concentration, time, temperature, etc .. The mechanism of H⁺ exchange was suggested for the present system H₂O-(liquid membrane)-H₂O, and the transport process of Cu ²⁺ was briefly discussed.

Key words: Liquid membrane transport, Calix crowns, Transition metaLIons, Cu ²⁺