METHOD OF PREPARING QUATERNARY TRIALKANOLAMINE ESTER SALTS

摘要

Described is a method of preparing quaternary trialkanolamine ester salts or formula (I) in which X<-> is the anion of an inorganic or organic acid, Ra is a C1-C4 alkyl group; Rb and Rc, independently of each other, are a C1-C3 alkylene group and Rd is a saturated and/or unsaturated aliphatic C1-C22 carboxylic acid group, m, n, p and q are whole numbers, m being 1 to 3, n being 0 to 3, p being 0 to 1, m+n+p being equal to 4 and q being 1 or, when m = 3, n = 0 and p = 1, q is 2. The method calls for a quaternary compound of formula (II), in which X<->, Ra, Rb, Rc, m, n, p and q are as defined above, to be esterified, in the presence of an oxyacid of phosphorus and/or one of its alkali-metal or alkaline-earth salts as a catalyst, with a saturated and/or unsaturated aliphatic C1-C22 carboxylic acid individually or in a mixture, the water formed being removed from the reaction mixture.