2 results about "Quaternary compound" patented technology

In chemistry, a quaternary compound is or has a cation consisting of a central positively charged atom with four substituents, especially organic (alkyl and aryl) groups, discounting hydrogen atoms. The best-known quaternary compounds are quaternary ammonium salts, having a nitrogen atom at the centre. For example, in the following reaction, the nitrogen atom is said to be quaternized as it has gone from 3 to 4 substituents: R₃N+RCl⟶R₄N⁺ Cl⁻ Other examples include substituted phosphonium salts (R₄P⁺), substituted arsonium salts (R₄As⁺) like arsenobetaine, as well as some arsenic-containing superconductors.