Sf. Clancy et al., COPE ELIMINATION-REACTION OBSERVED IN THE BIODEGRADATION OF QUATERNARY AMMONIUM SURFACTANTS, Chemical communications, (21), 1997, pp. 2035-2036
The biodegradation of dialkyldimethylammonium compounds in aqueous sol
utions indicates that part of the degradation pathway includes the Cop
e:elimination reaction, which does not occur under mild conditions in
the absence of microorganisms.