PRODUCTION OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM AND QUATERNARY PHOSPHONIUM BOROHYDRIDES

摘要

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. The quaternary ammonium and quaternary phosphonium borohydrides can be recovered from the catholyte removed in step (D) from the catholyte. In one preferred embodiment, quaternary ammonium borohydrides are prepared utilizing quaternary ammonium boron oxides in the aqueous catholyte and quaternary ammonium compounds such as quaternary ammonium hydroxides in the anolyte solution.