Mild and selective hydrogen–deuterium exchange for aromatic hydrogen of amines

The direct electrophilic deuteration of the aromatic moiety in aromatic and aralkyl amines is reported. The acid-catalyzed deuteration is facilitated by deuterated trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, [D]triflic acid, CF₃ SO₃ D, TfOD, which acts as both the reaction solvent and the source of the deuterium label. The mild conditions enable room temperature hydrogen/deuterium exchange for most of the para-substituted aromatic amine derivatives studied. In addition, short reaction times and a high degree of aromatic deuteration are achieved and isolation of the product is simple. The optical activity of the chiral aralkyl amines studied was preserved.