Process for removing radioactive isotopes from aqueous fluids by fluorine containing reagents, fluorine containing, water-insoluble salts of the radioactive isotopes, and their use as therapeutic agents

1. A pharmaceutical composition comprising a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein:

M I is selected from H(OH 2 ) n , Li, Na, K, ½Mg, MgY, Mg(OH), ½Ca, Ca(OH), wherein Y is a halide,

(solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I ,

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , and

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , or NH 2 − .

2. A method for treating and/or preventing radiation damage, or for counteracting contamination with radioactive isotopes, or for treating Tl-poisoning, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount therefor of a complex according to claim 1 .

3. Complex of the formula [M I ] + L − , wherein:

M I is Cs, and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − .

4. Complex of the formula [M I ] + L − ,

wherein

M I is Cs in the form of a radioactive isotope, and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − .

5. Process for preparing a complex of the formula [M I ] + L − according to claim 4 , wherein:

M I is Cs, and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − ,

wherein the process comprises reacting a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein:

M I is selected from H(OH 2 ) n , Li, Na, K, ½Mg, MgY, Mg(OH), ½Ca, Ca(OH), wherein Y is a halide,

(solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I , and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − and Y is a halide,

with a Cs salt in an aqueous medium.

6. A method of treating a tumor disease, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount therefor of a complex according to claim 4 .

7. A method of conducting brachytherapy or afterload therapy, said method comprising administering to a patient in need thereof an effective amount therefor of a complex according to claim 4 .

8. A method of sterilizing waste water sewage, food, packings, clean rooms, and construction monitoring purposes using a complex according to claim 3 .

9. Method of using a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein:

M I is selected from H(OH 2 ) n , Li, Na, K, ½Mg, MgY, Mg(OH), ½Ca, Ca(OH), wherein Y is a halide,

(solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I , and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − ,

for the removal of Cs or Rb from aqueous liquids.

10. A process for separating cesium from a cesium containing aqueous fluid,

wherein the process comprises either Sequence I or Sequence II, wherein Sequence I is:

a. reacting a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is selected from Li, Na, K, ½ Mg, Mg(OH), ½ Ca, Ca(OH), (solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I , and L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , wherein X is selected from halide, O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − , with a cesium containing aqueous fluid, whereby a complex of the formula Cs I+ L − is precipitated from the aqueous solution;

b. separating the precipitated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − from the aqueous phase and drying the obtained precipitated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − ;

c. dissolving the separated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − in an anhydrous organic solvent selected from a dialkyl ether R 2 O and alcohol ROH wherein R is C 1 to C 6 ;

d. treating said organic solvent containing the complex of the formula Cs I+ L − with an anhydrous acid HA, where HA is HCl, HBr, H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 or a compound R A − H + , in which R A − is a carboxylic acid residue and R A − is sufficiently basic to form an ion-pair CsR A , whereby CsA is precipitated, and separating the precipitated CsA from said organic solvent; and

e. recycling said organic solvent containing a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is H(OR 2 ) n and L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , to step a;

and the Sequence II is:

a. reacting a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is selected from Li, Na, K, ½ Mg, Mg(OH), ½ Ca, Ca(OH), (solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I , and L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , wherein X is selected from halide, O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − , in an organic solvent immiscible with water with a cesium containing aqueous fluid, whereby a complex of the formula Cs I+ L − is extracted from the aqueous solution into the organic solvent;

b. drying the obtained organic solvent containing the complex of the formula Cs I+ L − ;

c. treating said organic solvent containing the complex of the formula Cs I+ L − with an anhydrous acid HA, where HA is HCl, HBr, H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 or a compound R A − H + , in which R A − is a carboxylic acid residue and R A − is sufficiently basic to form an ion-pair CsR A , whereby CsA is precipitated, and separating the precipitated CsA from said organic solvent; and

d. recycling said organic solvent containing a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is H(OR 2 ) n and L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , to step a.

11. Process according to claim 10 , wherein the organic solvent is an ether having 4 to 10 carbon atoms.

12. Process according to claim 10 , wherein any amount of a Cs′L − complex precipitated in step a. of Sequence I is transferred to the organic solvent by adding a sufficient amount of the organic solvent.

13. Process according to claim 10 , wherein the cesium containing aqueous fluid is selected from brines obtained from digestion of cesium ores, used cesium containing drilling fluids, and fluids containing Cs-131 or Cs-134/135/137 isotopes, either as solutions from a synthesis process, a reprocessing process, or as wastewaters from atomic plant facilities.

14. Process for separating cesium and rubidium from an aqueous fluid, wherein the process comprises:

a. reacting a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is selected from Li, Na, K, ½ Mg, Mg(OH), ½ Ca, Ca(OH), and L − is [XB 2 (C 6 F 5 ) 6 ] − , wherein X is selected from halide, O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − , with a Cs and Rb containing aqueous fluid whereby a complex of the formula Cs I+ L − is precipitated from the aqueous solution;

b. separating the precipitated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − from the aqueous phase and drying the obtained precipitated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − ;

c. dissolving the separated complex of the formula Cs I+ L − in an anhydrous organic solvent selected from a dialkyl ether R 2 O and alcohol ROH wherein R is C 1 to C 6 ;

d. treating said organic solvent containing the complex of the formula Cs I+ L − with an anhydrous acid HA, where HA is HCl, HBr, H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 or a compound R A − H + , in which R A − is a carboxylic acid residue and R A − is sufficiently basic to form an ion-pair CsR A , whereby CsA is precipitated, and separating the precipitated CsA from said organic solvent;

e. recycling said organic solvent containing a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is H(OR 2 ) n and L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − , to step a;

f. treating the aqueous phase obtained in step b. with M + [B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] − , M being H, Li, Na, K, ½ Mg, Mg(OH), ½ Ca, Ca(OH), optionally solvated, whereby Rb[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] is selectively and almost quantitatively precipitated,

g. separating the precipitated complex of the formula Rb[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] from the aqueous phase and drying the obtained precipitated complex of the formula Rb[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ]; and optionally

h. dissolving the separated complex of the formula Rb[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] in an anhydrous organic solvent selected from a dialkyl ether R 2 O and alcohol ROH wherein R is C 1 to C 6 ;

i. treating said organic solvent containing the complex of the formula Rb[B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] with an anhydrous acid HA, where HA is HCl, HBr, H 2 SO 4 , H 3 PO 4 or a compound R A − H + , in which R A − is a carboxylic acid residue and R A − is sufficiently basic to form an ion-pair RbR A , whereby RbA is precipitated, and separating the precipitated RbA from said organic solvent;

j. recycling said organic solvent containing a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein M I is H(OR 2 ), and L − is [B(C 6 F 5 ) 4 ] − , to step f.

15. Process for preparing a complex of the formula [M I ] + L − according to claim 4 , wherein:

M I is Cs in the form of a radioactive isotope, and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 − , wherein the process comprises reacting a complex of the formula [M I (solv)] + L − , wherein:

M I is selected from H(OH 2 ) n , Li, Na, K, ½ Mg, MgY, Mg(OH), ½ Ca, Ca(OH), wherein Y is a halide,

(solv) represents a solvating ligand capable of coordinating to M I , and

L − is [(C 6 F 5 ) 3 B—X—B(C 6 F 5 ) 3 ] − ,

wherein X is selected from halide, OH − , O 2 H 3 − or NH 2 and Y is a halide,

with a Cs salt wherein Cs in the form of a radioactive isotope in an aqueous medium.

16. A method of sterilizing waste water sewage, food, packings, clean rooms, and construction monitoring purposes using a complex according to claim 4 .