Quaternary chemistry

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A Quaternary centre in chemistry is an atom which is attached to 4 other atoms , usually carbon, and discounting hydrogen atoms.

For example, in the following reaction, the nitrogen atom is said to be quaternized as it has gone from 3 to 4 substituents:

R₃N + R-Cl → R₄N⁺ Cl^-

[edit] See also

• Quaternary amine