SummaryAromatic compounds bearing an ortho-directing substituent may be deuterated by exchange with deuterium oxide in the presence of a range of cycloocta-1,5-dienyliridium(I)1,3-dionate catalysts. The exchange takes place in several dipolar aprotic solvents and is directly applicable to the deuteration of polar compounds. Isotope incorporation is efficient and regiospecific. The method is applicable to a wide range of ortho-directing groups some of which are only weak directors for alternative ortho-labelling approaches. In addition, the application of microwaves enables labelling within minutes even with sub-stituents which are poor directors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.