In water-chloroform mixtures the reagent is found quantitatively in the aqueous
phase at pH > 8, while it remains quantitatively in the organic phase at pH < 4.
The reagent reacts with essentially the same metal ions as does the sodium salt
of diethyldithiocarbamate. However, it possesses the advantageous feature
that some metal ions can be extracted with it from more acidic solutions, which
in some cases may result in an increase of analytical selectivity.
The analytical applicability of several substituted dithiocarbamates has also
been examined. Hulanicki demonstrated the effects of various substituents in
the reagent upon the properties of the corresponding complexes. In the main the
majority of analytical problems can be solved equally well with diethyldithiocarbamate
itself. Substitution of the reagent enhances the efficiency of the ligand
in some special cases only.
