A patent issued this month cites the use of catalytic tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) in the ring opening esterification of glycidyl ethers using acrylic acid and methacrylic acid (see Example 7). In PTC esterifications, we typically expect the presence of a base to form the carboxylate salt from the acid then the quat acrylate would

A patent just issued last month to Sachem, one of the most veteran manufacturers of high purity quaternary ammonium phase-transfer catalysts, that describes how to inhibit color formation of quat hydroxides in non-aqueous solvents (glycols). Sachem has been a leader in the commercial supply of quat hydroxides, especially those used in the manufacture of semiconductors.

Phase-transfer catalyst or PTC is a catalyst that facilitates the migration of a reactant from one phase into another phase where reaction occurs. Phase-transfer catalysis is a special form of heterogeneous catalysis. Ionic reactants are often soluble in an aqueous phase but insoluble in an organic phase in the absence of the phase-transfer catalyst. The catalyst functions like a detergent for solubilizing