Phase-Transfer Catalysis: Fundamentals I

Abstract

Critical to the success of phase-transfer catalytic (PTC) processes are (1) the maximization of the rate of transfer of reactant anions from the aqueous or solid phase to the organic phase, (2) the maximization of the rate of transfer of product anions from the organic phase to the aqueous or solid phase, and (3) the related equilibrium partitioning of the reactant and product anions between the organic and aqueous or solid phases. The common organic solvents employed in phase-transfer processes are usually relatively nonpolar and usually aprotic. Because anions do not have a great affinity for such solvents and prefer to reside in an aqueous environment, the desired transfer is not a particularly favorable process. The transfer of anions from an aqueous to an organic phase, however, may be achieved by choosing a phase-transfer cation that is not strongly solvated by water and that has organic-like characteristics and is thus compatible with the organic phase. For instance, the volume-to-charge ratio (as well as the organic-like nature) of quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts can be adjusted over a wide range of values by simply changing the length of the alkyl (or aryl) substituents bonded to the quaternary heteroatom. Tetramethylammonium salts are highly soluble in aqueous media and only slightly soluble in most organic solvents, whereas tetradoecylammonium salts are soluble in most organic media but only slightly soluble in water.