Is the conversion of sodium perrhenate to the tetrabutylammonium salt a double replacement reaction?

Question

Luna Chen · Accepted Answer

Yes, a double replacement reaction occurs when sodium perrhenate is converted to a tetrabutylammonium salt. This reaction is also known as a salt metathesis reaction, which is another term for a reaction in which counterions (cations and anions) exchange partners. This is how a metathesis reaction generally looks. #"AX" + "BY" -> "AY" + "BX"#, where #A#, #B# - cations;
#X#, #Y# - anions. In your case, the reaction between sodium perrhenate, or #NaReO_4#, and tetrabutylammonium chloride, or #(CH_3(CH_2)_3)_4NCl# (you'll sometimes see this written as #N(C_4H_9)_4Cl#), will produce sodium chloride, or #NaCl#, and tetrabutylammonium perrhenate, or #N(C_4H_9)_4ReO_4#. #NaReO_4 + N(C_4H_9)_4Cl -> NaCl + N(C_4H_9)_4ReO_4# Tetrabutylammonium perrhenate salt will precipitate from the solution during the reaction, which occurs in an aqueous solution (aq). The counterions that will exchange partners are #Na^(+)# and #N(C_4H_9)_4^(+)# (cations), and #ReO_4^(-)# and #Cl^(-)# (anions).

Luna Chen · Answer

undefined No, the reaction that transforms sodium perrhenate into tetrabutylammonium salt is an ion exchange reaction, not a double replacement reaction.