Tetraethylammonium

Tetraethylammonium (TEA) or (Et₄N) is a quaternary ammonium cation consisting of four ethyl groups attached to a central nitrogen atom, and is positively charged. It is a counterion used in the research laboratory to prepare lipophilic salts of inorganic anions. It is used similarly to tetrabutylammonium, the difference being that its salts less lipophilic and more easily crystallized.