This polyatomic cation is isoelectronic with methane, and its chloride notably dissolves endothermically in water.
In biochemistry, the sulfate of this cation is commonly used for protein precipitation, and its persulfate is used as a polymerization catalyst to make polyacrylamide gels. Species in which all of the hydrogen atoms in this ion are replaced by alkyl groups are commonly used as phase transfer catalysts. Glutamate dehydrogenase splits glutamate into alpha-ketoglutarate and this ion, which is then used to create (*) carbamoyl phosphate in the urea cycle. This polyatomic cation is isoelectronic with methane, and its chloride notably dissolves endothermically in water. This ion is grouped with the alkali metals in the solubility rules because most salts it forms are soluble in water. For 10 points, name this cation with formula NH4 plus.
In biochemistry, the sulfate of this cation is commonly used for protein precipitation, and its persulfate is used as a polymerization catalyst to make polyacrylamide gels.
ammonium [do NOT accept “ammonia”; accept NH4 before mention]