Routes to regioselective deuteriation of heteroaromatic compounds

A systematic approach to the deuteriation of polypyridyl type ligands is reported. A range of isotopologues of heteroaromatic compounds containing pyrazyl, pyridyl, 1,2,4-triazole, thienyl, methyl, and phenyl moieties, have been prepared in a cost-effective manner, using a range of methods based on subcritical aqueous media. Selectively and fully deuteriated ligands are characterized by mass spectrometry and H-1, D-2, and C-13 NMR spectroscopy. The application of deuteriation to supramolecular chemistry is discussed.