Trialkyl Acyl Ammonium And Acylimidazolium Salts - New Phase-Transfer Catalysts - A Rebuke And The Explanation Of Catalytic Action

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.