High grade quaternary ammonium salts represented by the following General
Formula II:
##STR1##
(in which R.sub.1 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group; R.sub.2
and R.sub.3 independently represents an alkyl group containing 1 to 4
carbon atoms; A represents an oxygen atom or an --NH-- group; B represents
an alkylene group containing 1 to 4 carbon atoms; R.sub.4 represents an
alkyl group or a benzyl group; and X.sup.- represents a halogen anion)
can be produced by reacting a cationic vinyl monomer represented by the
following General Formula I:
##STR2##
(in which R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, A and B have the same meanings as
defined above) with an alkyl halide or an aralkyl halide in a medium
consisting of a particular mixture of water and an aprotic organic solvent
under a condition where the concentration of oxygen dissolved in the
reaction system is lower than 1.8 ppm but not less than 0.3 ppm. The
reaction proceeds quite smoothly, without forming deposition of quaternary
ammonium salts produced by the reaction. The overheating of the reaction
system, which is a cause for the generation of gelation-causing substances
and polymerization inhibitors, can be prevented effectively since the
reaction mixture can be smoothly stirred and hence the generated heat can
be efficiently removed therefrom. The process therefore enables to produce
on a commercial scale aqueous solutions of unsaturated quaternary ammonium
salts of very high quality which can be used as a raw material for
producing cationic polymers of high molecular weight.