Triethyloxonium Tetrafluoroborate as an Ethylating Agent in Aqueous Solution.

Alkyioxonium salts have been used extensively as alkylating agents in inorganic chemistry. With few exceptions, the alkylations have been conducted in organic solvents that do not effect the solvolysis of the alkyioxonium ion, most commonly dichloromethane. This restriction often leads to the use of a solvent inappropriate to the particular reaction. Here we report on the general use of triethyloxonium tetrafluoroborate (EtOBF ) as an ethylating agent in aqueous solution.