Transition metal complexes hydrogen-deuterium exchange

The catalyzed exchange of hydrogen in an organic molecule by deuterium from the solvent or from deuterium gas has been much used to study alkane activation by transition metal complexes it is discussed... 

Hydrogen-Deuterium Exchange in Hydrido Transition Metal Cluster Complexes... 

The reactions may proceed via a cationic intermediate (87). The reactions provide another source of cyclobutadienes. Heterogeneous Group VIII transition metals deformylate benzilic acid and its derivatives to the corresponding ketones. Solutions of Na2PtCl4 in acetic acid have similarly been shown to deformylate benzilic acid, possibly via a r-complex (88), to benzo-phenone. Benzhydrol does not deformylate under these conditions, but does undergo hydrogen-deuterium exchange. ... 

A feature common to both ir complex mechanisms is the nature of the second reagent in the exchange reaction [Eqs. (11), (12a), (12b)], namely heavy water or deuterium gas. Water is generally preferred in exchange reactions as it does not produce hydrogenated by-products. The important aspect concerning water and deuterium gas is the rapid exchange between these compounds on transition metal catalysts, which has been explained by dissociative chemisorption. 

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