Patent ID: 7973195

Claim:
A process for producing an unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt, comprising: reacting methyl chloride in a first vessel with a stoichiometric excess of an unsaturated tertiary amine in the presence of water to form a reaction mixture comprising the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt and residual unsaturated tertiary amine; transferring a portion of the reaction mixture to a second vessel; phase separating the portion of the reaction mixture in the second vessel to yield a first fraction comprising the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt and water, and a second fraction comprising the residual unsaturated tertiary amine; withdrawing a portion of the first fraction from the second vessel to recover the quaternary ammonium salt product; and recycling a portion of the second fraction from the second vessel to the first vessel for use in said reacting methyl chloride with a stoichiometric excess of unsaturated tertiary amine; wherein the unsaturated tertiary amine has the formula wherein R 1 is hydrogen or methyl; and wherein the unsaturated quaternary ammonium salt has the formula wherein R 1 is hydrogen or methyl.