Deuterium chemistry is still quite costly, mainly because of the high prices of deuterated compounds needed f o r syntheses. Furthermore, the risk of diluting isotopically the compounds prepared is considerable. These disadvantages can be alleviated, if i> the deuterium of the D-donator is exchanged eficiently, ii> highly deuterated solvents and reactants can is be prepared conveniently on a laboratory scale, and iii) compounds, which have been isotopically diluted can be reconcentrated conveniently. FulJillments of these requirements allows for research in deuterium chemistry on a close to pilot plant scale at tolerable costs.
With this aim in mind, basic principles of batch deuterations on pilot plant scale with low grade heavy water discussed. By up-grading DzO wastes, close to 98 of the deuterium employed for reaction can be incorporated into the substrate.
Numerous methods are known (11233,4)
concerning the deuteration of organic and inorganic compounds. Yet all of these methods are impracticable for pilot plant scale deuterations of a substrate t o higher isotopic purity than that of the D-donator employed for reaction (23). In this paper a convenient laboratory method is described, where the deuteration to high isotopic purity is carried out with low grade heavy water (20-99 % D,O). Based on this method d,-dimethyl-sulfoxyde, d,-dimethylsulfide, d,-methylbromide and d,-ammoniumchloride were prepared with a purity of above 99.9 "/;-D. These results were achieved by deuteration with conconimitant rectification.