Rapid deuteriation and tritiation of organic compounds using organometallic and elemental halides as catalysts

Abstract

The use of ethylaluminium chloride and a range of other halides, such as NbCl5, WCl6, SbCl5, and BBr3, as catalysts for the rapid deuteriation and tritiation of a variety of organic compounds is described in detail. In the deuterium exchange method [2H6]benzene is the isotope source and traces of water usually serve as co-catalyst. But for maximum reproducibility very dry conditions with HCl as co-catalyst are recommended. The tritiation procedure involves the use of traces of high specific activity tritiated water to hydrolyse a complex of the catalyst with the organic substrate, tritium labelling accompanying the hydrolysis. These simple and rapid labelling methods are particularly suitable for aromatic compounds and their derivatives and to a lesser extent alkenes and some oxygen-containing organic compounds. The possible role of π-complex intermediates in these reactions is discussed.