Preparation of More-Biofriendly Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Their Decomposition to Useful Reagents

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The focus of this research is developing conditions which will make dimethyl carbonate an industrially viable alkylating agent for the preparation of quaternary ammonium salts. In a second part of the project, the products of the alkylation reactions will be transformed into a series of salts with varying counter ions. Thirdly, several biodegradable quaternary salts will be constructed as possible alternatives to the environmentally less friendly salts now used in commercial products. The project will serve as platform for the education of undergraduate chemistry students. With this Technology for a Sustained Environment award, the Synthetic Organic Program, as part of the NSF/EPA Partnership, is supporting the research and educational activities of Dr. Gary W. Earl of the Department of Chemistry at Augustana College. Professor Earl will focus his work on developing new and viable methods for the production of quaternary ammonium compounds. These compounds find wide industrial use as components of products as diverse as fabric softeners to hair conditioning agents. Undergraduate chemistry majors will be exposed to the constraints of industrial processing, both equipment and reaction conditions, as well as economic limitations.