alkyl groups cycloalkyl groups aryl groups or heterocyclic groups and x is an anion such as a halide the term u201c long chain u201d is used herein to mean hydrocarbon groups having in the range of from about 12 to about 20 carbon atoms examples of quaternary ammonium compounds which can be included in the corrosion inhibiting composition of this invention are n alkyl n cycloalkyl and n alkylarylpyridinium halides such as n cyclohexylpyridinium bromide or chloride n alkyl n cycloalkyl and n alkylarylquinolinium halides such as n dodecylquinolinium bromide or chloride and the like the traditional corrosion inhibitor used may be included in corrosion inhibiting mixture in an amount in the range of from 0 5 to about 80 by weight of total corrosion inhibiting mixture preferably from about 1 to about 45 by weight of total corrosion inhibiting mixture along with such traditional corrosion inhibitors embodiments of the present invention may further comprise components commonly used in corrosion inhibiting formulations such as acetylenic alcohols mannich condensation products such as those formed by reacting an aldehyde a carbonyl containing compound and a nitrogen containing compound unsaturated carbonyl compounds unsaturated ether compounds formamide formic acid formates other sources of carbonyl iodides terpenes and aromatic hydrocarbons corrosion inhibitor activators function to activate corrosion inhibitor components such as quaternary ammonium compounds so that they function as corrosion inhibitors examples of such corrosion inhibitor activators which can be used in accordance with the present invention are cuprous iodide cuprous chloride antimony compounds such as antimony oxides antimony halides antimony tartrate antimony citrate alkali metal salts of antimony.