Abstract
The thesis is divided into six chapters: Chapter one introduces an overview of deuterium and tritium properties, various labelling procedures as well as analytical methods for hydrogen isotopically labelled compounds. Chapter two describes the preparation of polymer supported transition metal catalysts, particularly rhodium trichloride catalyst, and then applications in the deuteriation and tritiation of aromatic compounds and selected drugs. 3H-NMR spectroscopy showed some aromatic compounds and drugs were labelled with 100% regiospecificity. The regiospecificity was improved when rhodium trichloride was supported on PVP polymer. Chapter three presents a new procedure for the specific incorporation of three tritium atoms into organic compounds. Chapter four describes the applications of a mild Lewis acid catalyst - boron trifluoride etherate in the deuteriation and tritiation of some aromatic compounds and drugs. 2H- and 3H-NMR spectroscopy analysis of the labelled compounds and drugs confirmed the exchange reaction was electrophilic. Chapter five describes a procedure for the synthesis of a deuteriated biocompatible polymer, 2H-PmMl2. When the procedure was adopted for the synthesis of the tritiated version, the polymer was labelled with very low specific activity. A microwave assisted procedure was investigated to see whether the deuteriation of the monomer, HEMA-PC could be achieved by this method. In chapter six NMR spectroscopy is employed to study methylation kinetics using methyl triflate as methylating reagent.