TBAB has many uses. In addition to phase - transfer catalysis, it acts as an electrolyte in electrochemistry, a surfactant in some chemical processes, as well as a catalyst for organic synthesis reactions such as alkylations and acylations. It is also useful in analytical chemistry for ion – pair chromatography. In the pharmaceutical sector, it may be used in the synthesis of some drug molecules where it may be useful in the many steps of the chemical transformations