Synthesis of Multideuterated (Hetero)aryl Bromides by Ag(I)-Catalyzed H/D Exchange

Deterium-labeled (hetero)aryl bromide is one of the most widespread applicable motifs to achieve important deuterated architectures for various scientific applications. Traditionally, these deterium-labeled (hetero)aryl bromides are commonly prepared via multistep syntheses. Herein, we disclose a direct H/D exchange protocol for deuteration of (hetero)aryl bromides using Ag2CO3 as catalyst and D2O as deuterium source. This protocol is highly efficient, simply manipulated, and appliable for deuterium-labeling of over 55 (hetero)aryl bromides including bioactive druglike molecules and key intermediates of functional materials. In addition, this method showed distinguishing site-selectivity toward the existing transition-metal-catalyzed HIE process, leading to multideuterated (hetero)aryl bromides in one step.