A quaternary ammonium salt is an ionic compound that has the following general structural formula.
n = positive whole number
R1, R2, R3, and R4 could be hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, aryl groups, or any combination thereof. A– could be any anion present in salt.
eg:
The word “salt” in quaternary ammonium salt is a misnomer because a quaternary ammonium salt can not be prepared by an acid-base reaction.
see also quaternary ammonium ion, primary ammonium salt, secondary ammonium salt, tertiary ammonium salt
