Tetrabutylammonium bromide

Tetrabutylammonium bromide (CAS 1643-19-2), commonly sourced under the abbreviation TBAB, is a quaternary ammonium salt used primarily as a phase-transfer catalyst and reagent in chemical synthesis. Its ability to shuttle anions between immiscible phases makes it a practical tool for improving reaction efficiency and yield in multi-step manufacturing processes across various industrial sectors.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, TBAB accelerates nucleophilic substitution and alkylation reactions, reducing processing time and solvent consumption in active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) synthesis. Personal care formulators use it as a conditioning and antimicrobial agent in rinse-off and leave-on products where quaternary ammonium activity is required for the final formulation.

It also functions as a catalyst precursor in polymer and specialty chemical production, where controlled ionic transfer between organic and aqueous phases is critical to process consistency. In research and fine chemical synthesis, TBAB supports the preparation of ionic liquids and serves as a co-catalyst in carbon dioxide fixation reactions for sustainable chemistry.

Tetrabutylammonium bromide is supplied as a white crystalline powder or granular solid. It is available in technical and high-purity reagent grades for diverse laboratory and industrial uses. Pharmaceutical-grade material meets specifications relevant to API and excipient manufacturing. Packaging typically ranges from kilogram-scale laboratory quantities to bulk industrial lots.