Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) is a quaternary ammonium salt with a bromide commonly used as a phase transfer catalyst. It is used to prepare many other tetrabutylammonium salts by salt metathesis reactions.

Application

Tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB) is a quaternary ammonium compound. It is the most widely used phase transfer catalyst. ... TBAB is reported to decrease retention time and remove peak tailing by acting as an ion pair reagent during the chromatographic analysis of quaternary ammonium compounds.