Arenium acid catalyzed deuteration of aromatic hydrocarbons.

The arenium acid [mesitylene-H](+) has been shown to be an extraordinarily active H/D exchange catalyst for the perdeuteration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The reactions take place under ambient conditions in C6D6 as an inexpensive deuterium source. High isolated yields and excellent degrees of deuterium incorporation were achieved using the substrates p-terphenyl, fluoranthene, pyrene, triphenylene, and corannulene.