Trialkyl Acyl Ammonium and Acylimidazolium Salts - New Phase Transfer Catalysts? A Rebuke and the Explanation of Catalytic Action

Abstract

Reaction of acyl chlorides and trialkylamines yields trialkyl-ammonium hydrogen chlorides (plus ketene derived products) and not the title compounds. Phase transfer catalytic action arises from subsequent quaternization. Acylimidazolium salts are hydrolyzed very fast, catalyst action is due to dialkyl-imidazolium salts formed in situ.