Tetra-n-butylammonium nitrate is used in coatings, printing ink, rubber, glass, leather and cosmetics. It serves as a supporting electrolyte in liquid ammonia. It is also used in the preparation of nitrates from triflates. It is employed in the inversion of configuration of alcohols through tosylates. It is also a source of NO3- used in nucleophilic substitution reactions. Further, it is used in the conversion of halides into ketones. In addition to this, it is used as a source of nitronium ions for the nitration of olefins, amides, ribonucleosides, glycols and aromatic compounds.