[reaction: see text] Epoxides dissolved in molten tetralkylammonium salts bearing halides as counterions are converted into cyclic carbonates under atmospheric pressure of carbon dioxide. The reaction rate depends on the nucleophilicity of the halide ion as well as the structure of the cation.

Reaction of the catalyst 1 or Pd(OAc)(2) with tetrabutylammonium acetate, dissolved in tetrabutylammonium bromide, leads to a fast formation of Pd nanoparticles which efficiently catalyze the stereospecific reaction of cinnamates with aryl halides to give beta-aryl-substituted cinnamic esters. The role of tetrabutylammonium acetate is crucial in determining the formation of nanoparticles and stereospecificity of the C-C coupling process.

Palladium nanocolloids supported on chitosan behave as very efficient heterogeneous catalysts in the Heck reaction of aryl bromides and activated aryl chlorides in tetrabutylammonium bromide as solvent and tetrabutylammonium acetate as base. Only 15 min is required to convert bromobenzene or p-nitrochlorobenzene into cinnamates. The efficiency of this catalyst is due to the stabilization of Pd colloids by the solvent and to a very fast PdH neutralization by the base. In contrast, no reaction occurs when utilizing imidazolium-based ionic liquids. The stability of the catalyst allows an extensive recycle in the coupling of iodoaromatics with butyl acrylate.

Pd-catalyzed Suzuki and Stille cross-couplings of aryl bromides and chlorides were carried out in quaternary ammonium salts as solvents under mild conditions and with the recycling of the catalyst.