Novel water-soluble organic ligands, N,N,N',N' -tetramethyldiglycolamide (TMDGA), N,N,N,N'-tetraethyldiglycolamide (TEDGA), N,N,N',N'-tetrapropyldiglycolamide (TPDGA), and N,N-dipropyldiglycolamic acid (DPDGAc), were synthesized and examined for complexation with An(III) and An(IV). These reagents are readily soluble in water and form more stable complexes with Pu(IV) and Am(III) than does EDTA of hexadentate ligand. TEDGA and TPDGA can back-extract effectively An into the aqueous phase.