Skip to content
Question 49 of 64

Q.Write the exchange reactions of Deuterium.

Tamil Nadu DgeTamil Nadu HSC First Year (DGE) Board 2020Subjective· 2mImportance★★★★★
77% · 49/64 Questions
🔒 Locked · start free trial →

You're viewing a preview — the full solution, concept, methods & PYQ mapping are locked.

Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →

In an exchange reaction, deuterium (or D2/D2O) swaps places with the ordinary hydrogen atoms of another compound, especially the labile/acidic hydrogens, leaving the rest of the molecule unchanged.

Deuterium, the heavier isotope of hydrogen, undergoes reactions in which it exchanges with hydrogen atoms already present in another compound — these are called exchange reactions, and they are especially useful for labelling molecules or studying reaction mechanisms. Some standard examples:

  1. With water: H2O + D2 (catalysed by Pt) -> D2O + H2, or more commonly water and heavy water exchange H/D directly: H2O + D2O -> 2HDO.

  2. With ammonia: 2NH3 + 3D2 (catalysed) -> 2ND3 + 3H2 — all the N-H hydrogens are replaced by deuterium.

    …

Unlock everything free for 14 days

  • Full step-by-step solutions
  • Concept-first explanations
  • Methods, shortcuts & mistakes
  • PYQ mapping + timed mock tests

Full access for 14 days. No credit card required.