Solvent‐Free Strategy for Direct Access to Versatile Quaternary Ammonium Salts with Complete Atom Economy.

A solvent‐free method for the synthesis of quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) by iodoquaternization of alkenes with N‐heteroarenes was reported. Its advantages lie in energy‐saving and clean production by using iodine as the oxidant and manual grinding the starting materials, together with the complete atom economy and low process mass intensity (PMI) value. Demonstrated by 50 examples, the generated QAS was proved to be able to produce valuable chemicals, such as biological protease inhibitors, anti‐cancer agents, and organic fluorescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]