Direct alkylation of carboxylic in aqueous samples

Summary Carboxylic acids can be converted to their methyl esters in an aqueous sample which contains no organic solvent. The reaction appears to be assisted by the presence of a quaternary ammonium salt surfactant. The procedure is best described as a pseudo-organic phase, or micelle-like, reaction. The important experimental variables have been optimized by Simplex procedures. The reaction proceeds in 80–100% yield, for common carboxylic acids, at room temperature in less than one hour. This reaction is superior to existing two-phase extractive alkylation procedures.