Abstract: A process for treating solutions of quaternary ammonium hydroxide containing latent halide to lower the latent halide content of the solution comprises the steps of(A) providing an electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode wherein the cathode comprises zinc, cadmium, tin, lead, copper or titanium or alloys thereof, mercury or mercury amalgam,(B) charging a solution containing at least one quaternary ammonium hydroxide which contains latent halide into the electrolytic cell,(C) passing a current through the electrolytic cell to lower the latent halide content in the solution, and(D) recoverying the quaternary ammonium hydroxide solution from the electrolytic cell.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing metal borohydrides and onion borohydrides in an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode and a catholyte compartment containing a cathode, the anolyte and catholyte compartments being separated from each other by a cation exchange membrane which is effective at a pH below 7, said process comprising(A) charging an anolyte comprising an aqueous solution of at least one acid to the anolyte compartment;(B) charging a catholyte comprising an aqueous solutiuon prepared from a metal boron oxide or an organic onium boron oxide to the catholyte compartment;(C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce the metal borohydride or an organic inium borohydride in the catholyte compartment; and(D) removing at least a portion of the catholyte from the catholyte compartment.

Abstract: A process is described for the electrolytic reductive coupling of quaternary ammonium compounds to themselves or to other reactive organic compounds.The process comprises(A) providing an electrolytic cell comprising an anode and a cathode;(B) charging into the electrolytic cell, a solution containing at least one of said quaternary ammonium compounds, and, optionally, at least one other organic compound capable of reacting with the quaternary ammonium compound under the conditions of the reaction;(C) passing an electric current through the electrolytic cell to reductively couple the quaternary ammonium compound to itself or to the other organic compound; and(D) recovering the solution containing the coupled product from the electrolytic cell. The process is particularly useful for the preparation of diquaternary ammonium compounds.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides of improved purity. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to a process of preparing quaternary ammonium hydroxides from the corresponding quaternary ammonium salts in an electrolytic cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode and a catholyte compartment containing a cathode and water, said anolyte and catholyte compartments being separated from each other by a cation-exchange membrane, said process comprising the steps of(a) providing the catholyte compartment with a cathode of zinc, cadmium, tin, lead, or alloys thereof, mercury, or mercury amalgam,(b) charging an aqueous solution containing a quaternary ammonium salt to the anolyte compartment,(c) passing a current through the electrolytic cell to produce quaternary ammonium hydroxide in the catholyte compartment, and(d) recovering the quaternary ammonium hydroxide from the catholyte compartment.

Abstract: A process is described for preparing quaternary ammonium and quaternary phosphonium borohydrides in an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment containing an anode and a catholyte compartment containing a cathode, the anolyte and catholyte compartments being separated from each other by a divider, said process comprising(A) charging an anolyte comprising an aqueous solution containing a quaternary ammonium or a quaternary phosphonium salt compound to the anolyte compartment;(B) charging a catholyte comprising an aqueous solution prepared from a quaternary ammonium borohydride or the quaternary phosphonium boron oxide to the catholyte compartment;(C) passing a current through the electrolysis cell to produce the quaternary ammonium borohydride or the quaternary phosphonium borohydride in the catholyte compartment; and(D) removing at least a portion of the catholyte from the catholyte compartment.

Abstract: A process is described for improving the purity of quaternary ammonium hydroxides. In one embodiment, the process of the present invention comprises the steps of(a) charging an aqueous solution containing the quaternary ammonium hydroxide to the anolyte compartment of an electrolysis cell which comprises an anolyte compartment and a catholyte compartment containing water separated from each other by a cation-exchange membrane,(b) passing a direct current through the electrolysis cell to produce a high purity quaternary ammonium hydroxide in the catholyte compartment, and(c) recovering the high purity quaternary ammonium hydroxide from the catholyte compartment.In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous solution containing the quaternary ammonium hydroxide charged to the anolyte compartment is heated to an elevated temperature for a given period of time prior to subjecting the quaternary ammonium hydroxide to the electrolytic process of the present invention.