Molecular aggregation of alkyltrimethylammonium bromide and alcohol. Discrimination of primary and secondary alcohols

Abstract

Alkyltrimethylammonium bromide (alkyl = decyl, dodecyl, tetradecyl, hexadecyl and octadecyl) and primary alcohol C_nH_2n+1OH (n= 8–18) aggregated and formed 1:1 complex crystals which show clear melting points; an ammonium bromide and alcohol of similar alkyl chain length formed a complex with the highest melting point; since secondary alcohols did not complex with the ammonium bromide, the primary alcohol was isolated from a mixture.