A simple method for α-position deuterated carbonyl compounds with pyrrolidine as catalyst.

A simple, cost-effective method for deuteration of carbonyl compounds employing pyrrolidine as catalyst and D2O as deuterium source was described. High degree of deuterium incorporation (up to 99%) and extensive functional group tolerance were achieved. It is the first time that secondary amines are used as catalysts for H/D exchange of carbonyl compounds, which also allow the deuteration of complex pharmaceutically interesting substrates. A possible catalytic mechanism, based on the hydrolysis of 1-pyrrolidino-1-cyclohexene, for this pyrrolidine-catalyzed H/D exchange reaction has been proposed.