Tetra-n-butylammonium iodide is used as a catalyst for methylation and benzylation of alcohols with dimethyl sulfate and benzyl bromide respectively. It is a useful source of iodide anion and involved in the preparation of neopentyl iodides from the triflates. It is also used in the preparation of novel quaternary amines, which serve as an antibacterial agent in the rise of drug-resistant bacteria. It acts as a phosphonium reversible inhibitors of cholinesterases. It is associated with boron trifluoride diethyl¬ etherate and used in the cleavage of ethers.

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